Uganda blocks Starlink imports ahead of election
Uganda has restricted imports of Starlink satellite internet equipment weeks before its January 15 election, raising concerns the government may again impose an internet blackout.
President Yoweri Museveni, 81, seeks to extend his nearly 50-year rule, facing opposition leader Bobi Wine, 43, for the second time. During the 2021 election, the government cut internet access for days, prompting allegations of voter suppression, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
The import restrictions were revealed in a leaked tax memo dated December 19, later confirmed by the Uganda Revenue Authority, which requires military approval for Starlink devices. Museveni’s son, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, heads the military.
Opposition leader Wine called the move “ridiculous”, questioning why the government would fear internet access if no electoral fraud was planned.
Starlink, owned by Elon Musk, does not yet have a license to operate in Uganda, though many residents have imported and used the service independently.
Museveni, a former rebel, has been credited with stabilizing Uganda and promoting economic growth, but critics accuse him of suppressing opponents, human rights abuses, and corruption. Constitutional changes have allowed him to remain in power beyond traditional age and term limits.
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