The Ugandan government has restricted the import of equipment for the Starlink satellite internet service. According to the opposition, the regime is once again preparing to block internet access during the January presidential elections. The Reuters news agency reported this today.
Opposition warns of preparations for internet shutdowns
“If they are not planning… electoral fraud, why are they so afraid that people will connect (to the internet) during the electoral process,” opposition leader Bobi Wine wrote on social media platform X. In the previous elections in 2021, Wine accused the authorities of electoral fraud, and the government at the time cut off internet access for several days.
The 43-year-old former popular singer Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulany, is running for the main opposition party, the National Unity Platform (NUP), just as he did in January 2021, when he was defeated by President Yoweri Museveni by a large margin according to official results. Wine received 35 percent of the vote, while Museveni won 58.4 percent, according to the electoral authorities.
Starlink without a license, imports under army control
Now 81 years old, Museveni has been president of Uganda since 1986, and his government has repeatedly pushed through constitutional changes allowing him to run again for the highest office. He came to power after his guerrilla group captured Kampala following a six-year civil war. After years of violence and dictatorship, Museveni brought stability and economic growth to the now 50-million-strong country, but critics accuse his government of suppressing the opposition, violating human rights, and corruption.
According to Reuters, Starlink currently does not have a license to operate in Uganda, but many Ugandans import and use Starlink equipment. Traditional telecommunications networks are easier for Ugandan authorities to monitor or shut down, according to Business Insider Africa.
Restrictions on the import of Starlink equipment into Uganda first appeared in a leaked tax authority report dated December 19, which began circulating on social media. A spokesperson later confirmed the authenticity of the directive for customs officials. The instructions state that all imports of technological devices and equipment for the Starlink service must now be approved by army commander Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the president’s son. U.S. company Starlink Services provides internet connectivity via satellites in low Earth orbit. It has users in approximately 140 countries and territories. In recent years, it has expanded its services to additional countries in Africa, where it operates in around thirty states.
Source: ČTK
