Uganda has come out swinging at Starlink over licensing, forcing the satellite company to commit to establishing technical safeguards to prevent the transmission of its services into the country from its neighbours where it operates.
The company has since acknowledged the unauthorised use of its terminals in Uganda and implemented new measures to freeze active Starlink terminals operating in the country, according to the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) earlier this week.
Addressing the status of Starlink operations in Uganda, Nyombi Thembo, executive director of the UCC, pointed out that Starlink Global Internet Services Ltd has indicated an interest in working with Uganda to provide satellite-based broadband services.
However, Thembo stressed that Uganda is a sovereign state regulated by law.
He said: “Under the Uganda Communications Act and the applicable licensing regulations, no individual or organisation, whether local or foreign, may provide telecommunications services in Uganda without approval from UCC.”
Thembo explained that UCC operates a technology-neutral licensing regime, meaning all service providers must meet the same legal and regulatory standards, regardless of the technology used.
“This approach ensures fairness, transparency, and consistency across the sector,” he said.
Thembo went to reveal that when Starlink initially expressed interest in operating in Uganda, the Commission clearly outlined the pre-licensing requirements.
“To date, some of these requirements remain unmet, which is why Starlink has not yet been authorised to commence commercial operations,” he said.
The development comes after Starlink went offline in Uganda this week, abruptly cutting off a connectivity lifeline that many needed the most.
This sparked debate about digital access, political control, and Africa's reliance on a few telecom giants during election season.
Thembo refuted this, claiming that the Starlink affair is ordinary oversight unrelated to the elections.
He further disclosed that UCC is also reviewing applications from other satellite operators, including OneWeb and Amazon’s Project Kuiper, among others. Ultimately, he said, licensing decisions are guided by public interest, regulatory compliance, and national obligations.
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