President Museveni has said the government is open to allowing Starlink to operate in Uganda if the satellite internet service can make digital connectivity cheaper than existing infrastructure.
Museveni made the remarks on Sunday while responding to concerns about the high cost of internet in Uganda and reacting to questions surrounding the directive to halt Starlink operations in the country.
He was speaking during the Jazz with Jajja podcast hosted by his daughter, Natasha Museveni, at State House, Nakasero.
The President revealed that he has held discussions with Starlink founder Elon Musk, who has been advocating for satellite-based internet as a cost-effective solution, particularly for the “last mile” of connectivity.
“I have been talking with Elon Musk. He has been telling me that his satellite is called Starlink. That when I allow him to come here—although it is satellite, because satellite was expensive, that’s why we migrated from satellite to underground cable—he has been telling me that now satellite is cheaper,” Museveni said.
Museveni explained that while Uganda previously moved away from satellite technology due to high costs, new advancements could change the equation.
“So we are studying it, and if it is true, we shall allow Elon Musk to bring his satellites here, if they can make that digital connection cheaper than the underground cable,” he added.
Uganda recently issued directives restricting Starlink’s operations, citing regulatory concerns, a move that sparked public debate amid growing complaints about expensive and unreliable internet services.
Internet rates in Uganda vary significantly by provider, data volume, and speed, with mobile options like MTN offering data bundles from UGX 5,000 for 1.5GB to unlimited plans, while fixed fiber providers like Faibanet and Liquid Home offer unlimited packages from around UGX 70,000 for 20Mbps up to UGX 500,000 for 300Mbps, showing a wide range for different user needs
By late 2025, Uganda’s internet user base was growing, with figures ranging from around
11.4 million individuals (22% penetration) to potentially over 17 million mobile internet subscriptions, showing significant mobile-driven growth, though reports note disparities in meaningful use due to cost and skills. Mobile subscriptions surpassed 40 million, with increasing smartphone penetration and high usage of platforms like WhatsApp, TikTok, and YouTube