After years of negotiations, regulatory hurdles, and strong public support from President Yoweri Museveni, Starlink has finally secured its long-awaited licence to operate in Uganda with full approval from the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC).
Under the leadership of Executive Director George William Nyombi Thembo, the UCC has granted a licence to Elon Musk’s Starlink by SpaceX to provide satellite-based internet services across Uganda.
The agreement was officially signed today, Friday, 15 May 2026, at State House, Entebbe, between George William Nyombi Thembo and Starlink Senior Director for Market Access and Development, Mr Ryan Goodnight. The signing was witnessed by President Yoweri Museveni, the U.S. Ambassador to Uganda William Popp, and other senior officials.
This approval comes after a challenging period during which importing and operating Starlink equipment in Uganda was heavily restricted and, in many cases, effectively illegal. Limited exceptions were made, including a special allowance by CDF Muhoozi Kainerugaba in December 2025.
While the licence is now officially in place, Starlink service is not yet commercially available in Uganda. Everything remains on paper until Starlink issues its own official announcement, activates the network, and opens kit sales and subscriptions. Potential customers can keep checking starlink.com/map and Starlink on X for the latest updates on availability, ordering, and activation.
Users holding active Starlink Roam plans from other countries will also need to wait for formal confirmation before they can legally use the service in Uganda.
