Starlink was given the order to stop operating in Zimbabwe

Elon Musk's internet connectivity business, Starlink, is going through rough times in Africa as a result of a Zimbabwean government order forcing the business to stop operating there. This is in line with an email that the corporation distributed to all of its users nationwide. The company stated via letter that the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) had given it an order to cease operations.

However, the business stated that it will keep collaborating with the regulator to secure the required regulatory permits so that Starlink services can be activated in Zimbabwe as soon as possible. Additionally, it urges customers to get in touch with POTRAZ to express your support for Starlink in order to persuade the regulator to provide the required regulatory.

“You are currently using Starlink in an unauthorised territory, As a result. Starlink has been directed by the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) to disable your service. As described In your Terms of Service, Starlink does not guarantee when or where its Mobile or Mobile Priority Services Plans will be available. Use of such services Is dependent on many factors, including obtaining or maintaining the necessary regulatory approvals which are subject to change,” the mail reads in part.

Rejections for Starlink are increasing in Africa

In an effort to strengthen its position throughout Africa, Elon Musk's Starlink has encountered difficulties in a number of different regions of the continent. Although it was quickly adopted in nations like Nigeria, the largest economy in Africa, it has encountered challenges in South Africa, where the telecom regulator, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA), has ordered IT Lec, the only importer of Starlink kits, to stop importing.


IT LEC discovered a solution for its clients despite the fact that SpaceX, the company behind Starlink, has not yet obtained an operational licence. However, the ICASA has now strongly warned the ISP to stop using this loophole in a notification.

The most recent backlash occurred in Botswana, where the Botswana Communications Regulatory Authority (BOCRA) formally forbade the importation, usage, and sale of its kits and services. Along with the prohibition came the threat of legal action for anybody who disobeyed it.

BOCRA denied Starlink's request to operate in Botswana on February 2, 2024, stating that the business had not complied with all regulations. BOCRA stressed in an email that Starlink has not given permission to any organisation to import or resale its Internet kits in Botswana. Criminals will be committing an infraction, however it is unclear exactly what the charges include.

The internet company had regulatory challenges in Ghana as well, despite assurances from the country's authorities to issue a licence to the company upon completion of all regulatory criteria.