Mobile money agent Mirembe Tracy laments that her business in Uganda's bustling capital Kampala was paralysed when the government shut the internet during last week's fiercely contested general election.
All withdrawals were disconnected, she tells the BBC, adding that she gets nearly all of her income from withdrawal commissions.
Without it, her income dropped to zero.
In one week I can earn up to 450,000 [Ugandan] shillings (£96; $130). That money is what I use to pay rent. Losing it was a total loss, she says.
For two days either side of the election, there was nothing she could do but stay at home - she could only sell prepaid airtime credit, which she says does not give a commission.
Uganda's communications authority ordered the nationwide shutdown to ensure peace, protect national stability and prevent the misuse of communication platforms during a sensitive national exercise.
The opposition said it was a move to cover up voter fraud and stop its agents from sharing the results from polling stations.
Online businesses that rely on mobile money transactions were most affected by the blackout, with some coming to a standstill while others reverted to cash-based transactions.
Many young people, including gamers, struggled with the loss of connectivity, while students faced an interrupted educational experience. Reports suggest that the president's election victory only exacerbated the situation, as the internet remains partially restored with many platforms still slow or restricted.
The ripple effects of the shutdown offer a stark reminder of how integral digital access is to the modern life of Ugandans, impacting everything from business operations to personal relationships and education.
