Starlink has begun suspending internet services for Kenyan subscribers who failed to complete mandatory identity verification by today’s deadline, implementing regulatory requirements first announced in February 2026.
Affected customers received suspension notices today as the deadline for registration lapsed.
“As required by local authorities, your Starlink service for ACC XXX-XXX has been suspended until required information has been submitted and verified,” reads part of the notice.
The notice directs users to submit their required information immediately to restore connectivity. Registration was made mandatory for all Starlink customers in the country, regardless of when they subscribed to the service.
Customers in Kenya needed to complete the registration in person at authorized retailers. The satellite internet provider had given its 22,000 subscribers until April 30, 2026, to comply, warning that failure to complete verification would result in service interruptions.
Suspended customers can restore their service by completing the verification process at any authorized Starlink retailer in Kenya. There is no indication of an extension to the deadline.
Starlink’s compliance with Kenyan government directives is a change in the service’s global nature. It is also different from the defiance the company has been displaying in Africa.
The satellite internet provider is currently banned or restricted in Côte d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Africa, Senegal, Mali, and Cameroon, countries where the company began attracting users without first signing agreements with governments.
It has had a long public spat with South Africa, Elon Musk’s country of birth, as it refuses to conform to the country’s laws. Namibia also denied the company a license.
