UGANDA: Museveni’s Son Orders Army Consent For Civilian Starlink Import
The Ugandan government has placed urgent limits on the import and customs clearance of Starlink satellite equipment.
The government stipulates in a document dated December 19, 2025, that the communication equipment must be approved in writing by the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) of the Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF) before being cleared through customs.
“This communication serves to officially notify staff about the immediate restriction on the importation and customs clearance of Starlink technology gadgets, communication equipment, and associated components,” the memorandum read.
Ugandans now need written permission from President Museveni’s son Muhoozi Kainerugaba to import Starlink equipment.
— Larry Madowo (@LarryMadowo) December 22, 2025
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
It further said that the directive takes effect immediately. The directive is issued 24 days before Uganda’s January 2026 national election.
During the 2021 general election, the government shut down the internet and social media platforms nationwide due to security concerns.
The ban comes several months after President Yoweri Museveni stated that he had a “productive meeting” with officials from tech tycoon Elon Musk’s Starlink, which was hoping to establish a foothold in the East African country.
“I appreciate their commitment to providing low-cost internet in hard-to-reach areas and establishing a presence in Uganda. They are welcome,” Museveni said on X.
Starlink is a satellite-based broadband internet service provided by Starlink Services, a subsidiary of the American aerospace company SpaceX.
The administration has not publicly stated the rationale for the limitation or why authorization has been placed under military leadership.
It is unknown how long the ban will be in place, or whether it is part of larger negotiations between Ugandan authorities and Starlink prior to any formal market entry.
However, the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) spokesperson Robert Kalumba has stressed that security clearance and government licensing for certain technologies is standard global practice.
Air Cleared!
— Uganda Revenue Authority (@URAuganda) December 22, 2025
URA Clarifies on the Importation of Star Link technologies.
According to the URA spokesperson @RobertKalumba1, there is nothing new about requesting security clearance and government licensing for certain entities and commodities.”
Kalumba said. “It’s not only… pic.twitter.com/UAg7TvfTjy
“There is nothing new about requesting security clearance and government licensing for certain entities and commodities,” Kalumba said.
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“It’s not only Uganda that asks for security clearance. It’s a worldwide practice done by many countries. So let’s not create a storm in a teacup.”
Kalumba explained that the importation of sensitive or controlled communication equipment is globally regulated through strict licensing regimes, product-specific certifications, and security vetting overseen by customs authorities and specialised government agencies.
He noted that such measures are intended to safeguard national security by preventing sensitive communication technologies from being misused or falling into the wrong hands.
UGANDA: Museveni’s Son Orders Army Consent For Civilian Starlink Import
