Satellite Networks

Starlink shuts down access to its satellite internet service in Uganda

Satellite service provider Starlink has shut down access to its satellite internet service in Uganda after receiving instructions to do so from the country’s regulator, the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC).

The request comes only a short time before general elections are scheduled to be held in Uganda on 15 January 2026 to elect the country’s President and Parliament, which has led to some speculative  comment in news outlets about the timing of the news.

However, a letter on 1 January to the UCC from Starlink’s Director for Market Access, Ben MacWilliams, indicates that the company is not authorised to operate in Uganda because its local entity has not yet been granted a license.

As news resource ITWeb Africa points out, Starlink, owned by aerospace and space transportation company SpaceX, first appeared in Uganda in late 2023 but has so far only been available through purchase and activation of terminals in neighbouring countries where the service is licensed. 

Thus, while no doubt useful in Uganda’s rural and remote areas that have long been underserved by fibre and mobile networks, the service is actually unauthorised.

Indeed, MacWilliams has been widely quoted as saying: "Any Starlink usage in Uganda was without our approval or consent and in violation of our terms of service. Starlink Uganda has never imported or distributed terminals in Uganda."

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has reportedly claimed that Uganda would allow Starlink into the country if it lowers costs. UCC-Starlink discussions are apparently still ongoing.

The matter has nevertheless highlighted concerns about the freedom to access internet services in the country ahead of national elections scheduled for January 15 this year. Indeed, the main opposition leader, Bobi Wine, has called for the reactivation of Starlink's internet services.

And references to the elections aren't entirely based on speculation. The country’s government shut down the internet during the 2021 election, as we reported at the time, and restricted access to social media applications such as Facebook and Twitter for even longer.

Lack of access to the internet at election time has also been an issue in other parts of Africa, notably Tanzania, which, last November was accused of shutting down internet access and restricting social media around the country’s elections.



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