5 arrested in Zimbabwe for illegal sale of Starlink kits

Following a police operation on 2 November 2024, five men from Harare were arrested for allegedly possessing Starlink sets without a valid licence. The suspects identified as Polit Jamba (28), Ngoni Mandivo (29), Denver Ndebele (26), Tinotenda Wambe (26) and Lenin Mhiripiri (26) are due to appear in court on Monday.

Acting on a tip-off, detectives from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in the Highlands searched the suspects at two locations. Mandiwo and Ndebele were reportedly selling Starlink Gen 2 kits at Easy Walk Mall in downtown Harare. Police seized two kits worth approximately $900 and the couple were arrested and taken to Highlands CID for further investigation.

In a separate operation on the same day, detectives posing as customers approached Jamba, Wamba and Mhiripiri, who were also found in possession of an unlicensed Starlink Mini kit worth US$450. The trio were subsequently arrested and taken to Highlands CID.

Zimbabwean authorities have recently tightened controls on Starlink equipment, requiring users to be properly licensed under local law. As Starlink activated its service in Zimbabwe on 7 September 2024, the government emphasized the need to comply with regulatory requirements. Users of previously imported Starlink sets have been urged to get their equipment in order through authorized dealers such as Aura Group and TelOne, which have been officially licensed to resell Starlink services in the country.

Minister of Information and Communications Technology, Posts and Couriers Dr Tatenda Mawetera recently inaugurated Aura Group as a Starlink reseller in Zimbabwe, marking a step towards a structured rollout of Starlink in the country. The move reflects efforts by authorities to regulate near-Earth internet services, which have become increasingly popular due to the global coverage provided by Elon Musk’s SpaceX.