A leaked Uganda Revenue Authority internal memorandum has added a new layer to the Starlink and internet shutdown debate. Its message is direct: Importing Starlink equipment now requires clearance from the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF).
The memo, dated 19 December 2025 and addressed to all customs staff, announces“any import declaration of the aforementioned items [Starlink Technology Gadgets] should be accompanied by a clearance/authorisation letter from the Chief of Defence Forces [General Muhoozi Kainerugaba] – Uganda Peoples Defence Force (UPDF).” The URA directive also “takes effect immediately”
So, how did Uganda get here?
In April 2025, Starlink, owned by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, formally engaged the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) after submitting a license application to operate in Uganda.
Weeks later, Starlink representatives met President Museveni at State House. The meeting was publicly acknowledged, with President Museveni welcoming the service to Uganda and pointing to low-cost internet and extended access to underserved areas.
Following both meetings, UCC officials confirmed that Starlink had received regulatory approval in principle, noting that operational and administrative steps were still pending before a full commercial rollout.
Then came silence… No launch date or public update.
As Uganda edged closer to the 2026 general elections, claims emerged that Starlink’s final clearance would only come after the vote. For many Ugandans, that claim felt familiar.
With less than a month to the elections, what might have been a consumer rollout of Starlink, given the approval timelines in Kenya and Rwanda, has instead moved into a national security review.
Starlink vs Internet Shutdowns During Uganda Elections
You cannot read this memo without thinking about Uganda’s digital past. During the 2021 general election, authorities ordered a nationwide internet shutdown that lasted several days. The blackout cut off communication, disrupted businesses, and locked many Ugandans out of work, money and basic online services.
On 4 December 2025, ahead of the 2026 elections, UCC Head of Legal Affairs Dr Abudu Sallam Waiswa stated that the commission had no plans to shut down the internet. While reassuring, the URA directive involving the Chief of Defence Forces in a process normally handled by civilian telecom authorities is a contrast that’s hard to ignore.
Why Starlink is seen as a threat during elections
Starlink changes how connectivity is controlled.
Unlike mobile networks and fibre providers, Starlink links users directly to satellites, so shutting down local ISPs does not automatically switch it off. This alone makes Starlink’s satellite internet uncomfortable for governments that have relied on internet shutdowns as a political tool.
Tanzania’s internet shutdown during the October 2025 election offers a recent example, serving as a cautionary tale for Starlink, whose licence has remained unapproved since late 2024.
Seen in that light, the URA memo does not read like a routine customs notice but a containment move.
Can Ugandans Use Starlink Before UCC Approval?
Some Ugandans already access Starlink’s satellite internet using workarounds, such as informally imported terminals (a satellite dish and router kit), which are activated in neighbouring countries like Kenya or Rwanda. These terminals can work in Uganda via a roaming subscription plan.
While the URA letter addresses the importation of Starlink equipment, those planning to use Starlink before approval should ask themselves one question: if the government is indicating security oversight at the import stage, how safe is usage later?
There it is, UCC assures it has no plans to shut down the internet during the 2026 elections, while URA says Starlink imports need approval from the CDF, a position held by President Museveni’s son, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, since March 2024.
Ugandans now need written permission from President Museveni’s son Muhoozi Kainerugaba to import Starlink equipment.
The ban comes just 24 days before January’s general election. The government switched off the internet during the 2021 polls pic.twitter.com/cIRLzhbsql
— Larry Madowo (@LarryMadowo) December 22, 2025
