Uganda bans the import of Starlink equipment weeks before the election
Weeks before a national election, Uganda’s government has banned imports of Starlink satellite internet equipment, which the opposition worries could result in another internet blackout.
President Yoweri Museveni, 81, will run against pop star-turned-politician Bobi Wine, 43, for the second time in the January 15 ballot, hoping to extend his tenure in the East African country to almost 50 years.
Days of internet access were blocked by the government during the 2021 election. Museveni disputes that Wine, who finished far behind him in the most recent elections, rigged the results and claimed he lost.
A leaked tax office memo dated December 19 that went viral on social media revealed the limitations on bringing Starlink devices into Uganda.
Later, a Uganda Revenue Authority representative attested to the memo’s authenticity.
According to the memo, all importation of “Starlink technology gadgets, communication equipment and associated components” now required approval from Museveni’s son, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the military chief.
In an attempt to minimize the new limitations, the revenue authority claimed that many nations aim to regulate communication technology imports.
Despite not having a license to operate in Uganda, numerous Ugandans have been bringing in and utilizing Elon Musk’s Starlink devices.
In an X post, opposition leader Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, referred to the Starlink import limits as absurd.
“If they’re not planning … electoral fraud, why are they so scared of people accessing (the internet) during the electoral process,” Wine said.
Museveni, a former rebel, has been praised for stabilizing Uganda, fostering economic expansion, and fighting HIV/AIDS, but his government has been accused by detractors of repressing opponents, violating human rights, and participating in corruption.
Two constitutional amendments by Museveni and his administration eliminated term and age restrictions, enabling him to stay in office.
