January 5, 2026 l Dalena Reporters
In a dramatic pre-election development, Ugandan opposition leader and National Unity Platform (NUP) presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, widely known as Bobi Wine, has publicly appealed to Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX and owner of satellite internet provider Starlink, urging the reinstatement of internet access in Uganda after services were abruptly disabled nationwide. The appeal comes amid growing concerns over political freedoms and communication rights just ten days before Uganda’s January 15 general election.
Starlink confirmed that it shut down all access to its satellite internet services in Uganda on January 1, 2026, following a directive from the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) over what regulators described as the “illegal provision of telecommunication services” in the country. The company said it was responding to concerns that Starlink terminals in use had been imported and activated in jurisdictions where the service is authorised, but were operating without licence or regulatory approval in Uganda.
In a message posted on the social media platform X, Bobi Wine directly addressed Elon Musk, urging him to reverse the shutdown and reaffirming the central role of open communication in democratic processes. “As you cheer the fall of a dictator in Venezuela, here in Uganda your @Starlink has disabled citizens' access to its internet just days to the January 15th election in which we seek to peacefully end Museveni’s 40-year-old dictatorship,” Wine wrote, asserting that unrestricted internet access was essential for fair participation and transparency. “Democracy dies in darkness.
Wine has accused President Yoweri Museveni’s government of long-standing repression, citing alleged suppression of free expression and persecution of opposition voices. He argued that the timing of the Starlink service suspension threatens to further constrain civic space and deny voters critical information in the final days of the electoral campaign.
Starlink’s official response, conveyed in a letter dated January 2, 2026, and signed by Ben MacWilliams, Director of Starlink Market Access, clarifies that the company’s Ugandan subsidiary is not licensed to operate in the country and has never formally imported, distributed, marketed, or sold the service locally. The communication emphasised that the shutdown was in direct response to regulatory concerns, and that Starlink remains committed to complying with Ugandan telecommunications regulations and pursuing the licensing process.
The regulatory context includes measures by the Uganda Revenue Authority requiring special military-level authorisation for the importation of Starlink equipment, adding a layer of oversight that critics say could further restrict alternative communications channels. Opponents of the restrictions argue that such controls, especially when enforced weeks before a pivotal election, could undermine voters’ abilities to organise, verify results, and engage in open political discourse.
While Museveni’s administration has maintained that the regulatory actions are standard compliance measures, the shutdown of Starlink services has become a flashpoint in Uganda’s heated electoral environment. With the vote approaching rapidly, the controversy underscores broader tensions over information access, digital rights, and the integrity of the democratic process.
Bobi Wine’s appeal places international tech policy and democratic participation at the centre of Uganda’s political discourse, as stakeholders on all sides prepare for one of the most closely watched elections in the nation’s modern history.