Bobi Wine urges Elon Musk to restore Starlink as Uganda tightens internet controls ahead of election

Opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi, widely known as Bobi Wine, has called on tech entrepreneur Elon Musk to reinstate Starlink internet services in Uganda, saying the shutdown is part of a wider effort to limit communication as the country heads toward the January 15 general election.

Writing on X (formerly Twitter), Kyagulanyi directly tagged Musk, linking Uganda’s situation to global struggles for democracy. He claimed that access to Starlink was cut just days before the polls, denying citizens a vital tool for communication during a critical political moment.

Kyagulanyi accused President Yoweri Museveni’s government of long-standing repression, alleging that authorities have silenced free expression, targeted opposition figures and restricted civic space over decades of rule. He appealed to Musk to intervene by restoring Starlink services, arguing that open communication is essential for a free and fair electoral process.

“Please reactivate Starlink internet access in Uganda so that citizens can communicate and stand a fair chance at shaping their destiny,” Kyagulanyi wrote, adding that democracy cannot survive without transparency and access to information.

His appeal came shortly after Starlink confirmed that all its satellite internet terminals in Uganda were switched off on January 1, 2026. The company said the move followed instructions from the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC).

In a letter to UCC Executive Director George William Thembo, Starlink’s Director of Market Access, Ben MacWilliams, explained that the company is not licensed to operate in Uganda and has never officially sold or marketed its services in the country. He clarified that Starlink terminals found in use locally had been bought and activated in countries where the service is authorised, then brought into Uganda without approval.

MacWilliams said Starlink acted after learning that its services were being used in violation of local regulations and its own terms of service. As a result, the company activated a new restriction tool that fully disabled Starlink connectivity within Uganda as of January 1.

He stressed that Starlink Uganda has never imported or distributed equipment locally and that any earlier use of the service was unauthorised. Despite the shutdown, the company said it remains willing to work with Ugandan authorities and hopes to secure a licence in the future.

The Starlink decision coincides with tighter controls on satellite communication equipment by the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA). In a December 19, 2025 internal memo, URA imposed an immediate ban on the importation and customs clearance of Starlink-related gadgets and similar communication devices without special approval.

Under the directive, all such equipment now requires authorisation from the Chief of Defence Forces of the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Force before it can be cleared. Customs officers were warned not to release any shipments that fail to meet this requirement.

As election day approaches, the shutdown of Starlink services and the new import restrictions have heightened concerns within the opposition about a possible wider clampdown on internet access. Government officials, however, insist the measures are purely regulatory and meant to enforce existing laws, not to interfere with the electoral process.