President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has witnessed the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and operational license agreement between the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) and Starlink, officially opening the way for the company’s entry into Uganda’s telecommunications sector.

The landmark event, held at State House Entebbe on Friday, May 15th, 2026, saw the UCC Executive Director, George William Nyombi Thembo, and Starlink/SpaceX representatives led by Ryan Goodnight formalize the agreement under Uganda’s regulatory framework.

President Museveni welcomed the development, describing it as a major step toward strengthening Uganda’s ICT and connectivity landscape.

“Our interest remains security, revenue assurance, and ensuring proper accountability within the telecommunications sector so that we clearly know what is happening with telecom companies and who the customers are,” the president said.

Following the signing, UCC issued Starlink with the necessary operational certification, outlining compliance requirements with Uganda’s national regulatory standards.

Under the agreement, Starlink will establish a national gateway, set up a physical point of presence in Uganda, and maintain an operational office staffed with technical and legal personnel to support service delivery and oversight.

Thembo later handed over the operational certificate to Starlink officials, marking a significant milestone in the company’s planned rollout in Uganda.

According to Goodnight, the agreement is a transformative step towards expanding affordable internet access across Uganda.

“It is a great honour to be here in this beautiful country. We are incredibly excited that we are forging this cooperation and bringing this network here,” he noted.

He added that Starlink aims to reduce internet costs, expand digital inclusion, and support key sectors such as education and health through the donation of connectivity devices to selected institutions.

“We believe this partnership will lower internet costs and enable more people to join the digital economy. We are ready to comply with Uganda’s laws and work closely with the government and UCC to ensure successful implementation,” Goodnight noted.

“I am excited to see the impact this project will make. We believe it will have an excellent impact, especially if we work together with the ministries of education and health,” Goodnight added.

The Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance, Dr. Aminah Zawedde, revealed that the agreement followed extensive engagements to ensure Starlink’s compliance with Uganda’s regulatory requirements.

She emphasized that all devices activated in Uganda will be registered and monitored under the agreed operational framework.

The event was also attended by Uganda’s Ambassador to the United States, H.E. Robie Kakonge, alongside senior government officials and stakeholders in the ICT sector.