Duma Boko, the newly elected president of Botswana, has reiterated his predecessor’s intentions to use Elon Musk’s Starlink as a key component of the nation’s ambitious goal to usher in the fourth industrial revolution.

 Boko stated in his state of the nation address that they had partnered with SpaceX and Starlink to expedite efforts to provide the entire nation with cheap broadband alternatives. People in Botswana will have easier access to remote work possibilities, cutting-edge educational materials, and top-notch healthcare, among other things, thanks to reasonably priced, fast internet connectivity available throughout the country.

Boko reaffirmed that Starlink’s proposed infrastructure investment in Botswana will contribute to the country’s transformation into a digital hub for the SADC as a whole, creating more job opportunities and drawing in more capital from international tech firms.

“This will result in both direct and indirect job opportunities as well as an improved standard of living for our people, regardless of whether they reside in urban areas or the most isolated villages,” he clarified.

The starlink issue was one of former President Mokgweetsi Masisi’s campaign topics whose Botswana Democratic Party was ousted by President Boko’s Umbrella For Democratic Change after ruling Botswana for 58 years.

After receiving a two-year operating license from the Botswana Communications Regulatory Authority (BOCRA), Starlink started providing services in Botswana on August 28, 2024. Observers have pointed out that a meeting between Starlink executives and Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi in Dallas, Texas, in early May 2024, could have sped up the difficult and intricate process of getting Starlink operational in Botswana.

Speaking at a Kgotla meeting in Maun on the 2024 election campaign tour, former President Masisi emphasized that he had introduced Starlink to Botswana and that this will lead to the development of internet services, even to distant farms and cattle posts.

“The government is committed to working with local and global technology companies to rapidly prepare Botswana for the Fourth Industrial Revolution and drive meaningful economic transformation for our Nation,” Boko said on Tuesday, reaffirming his predecessor’s dream.