HiPipo Money

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MTN Uganda is the only service provider that offers Internet geographical redundancy by providing three Internet Uplinks that guarantee business continuity for its customers. This means that whether there is a Local Fiber cut within Uganda or a Fiber cut in Kenya or Rwanda, or an undersea cable cut, MTN can use an alternative route to still provide its customers with World-class Internet.

The MTN Chief Marketing Officer, Ernst Fonternel said, “Network downtime for Enterprises usually results in significant revenue losses, but this can be avoided by using MTN’s Connectivity to ensure that Customers and their Businesses are never offline. With scalable, customized solutions, MTN Business is positioned to make small business bigger and big business better.Your business is never offline with MTN”.

As part of its deliberate investments to ensure reliability in service, MTN Uganda has consistently invested in its Network rollout and Infrastructure development to ensure that its customers are able to enjoy a seamless service; both MTN voice and data services.

In February 2013, MTN officially commissioned its Fibre network at Katuna Border in Kabale district. The commissioning of the fibre at Katuna was a major development which has had a positive impact on Uganda’s ICT Roadmap. This landmark development was the first terrestrial link to Rwanda that was earmarked to greatly lower cost and significantly improve quality of communications services in the region. It has since substantially improved the connectivity with neighboring countries and the world by connecting Uganda to an additional submarine cable SAT-3 to Rwanda via the Tanzania route from Dar es Salaam.

This is in addition to the other two cables already connected through the Kenya route from Mombasa which provide Uganda with unique redundancy and a backup structure for secured and reliable connectivity while providing quality voice and data services. This important development is in line with MTN Uganda’s commitment of leading innovation in the market and in the region as a whole.

MTN Uganda continues to be the pioneer of innovation by rolling out products and services to suit the needs of its customers.

Fonternel said “In 2013, MTN Uganda was the first in the market to introduce WiFi Hotspots, 42Mbps and 4G LTE. We also provide our customers with 15MB worth of Free Internet every month and we are constantly reaching out to our customers through various activations and great device deals”.

In terms of Network Infrastructure, MTN continues to lead the way in terms of investment and its commitment to development of the ICT sector. MTN has secured USD 60 million as additional investment in 2014 to expand its Infrastructure and Services and this will be added to the USD 150 million invested during the last 2 years.

MTN Uganda launched its Mobile Network operations in 1998 and since inception MTN’s cumulative investment has been in excess of UGX 1.7 Trillion. In 2013, the company injected more than UGX 140 billion in upgrading the Network infrastructure and adding another 400Km of national fibre. By December 2013, MTN Uganda’s total Fibre infrastructure exceeded 3,200km.

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Shareholders send clear message backing firm’s transformation into an investment holding company; capital increase on track to close in the coming three weeks

Shareholders of Citadel Capital (CCAP.CA on the Egyptian Exchange), the leading investment company in Africa &the Middle East and the majority shareholder in RVR met yesterday for Ordinary and Extraordinary General Meetings, ratifying in the process key resolutions related to the firm’s ongoing capital increase, which will see total issued capital rise to almost 1.15 billion USD.

At an Extraordinary General Meeting, shareholders in attendance voted to approve continuing the ongoing second phase of a capital increase, which will see the Firm’s issued capital rise by USD 523,361,121 Million to USD 1,149,652,026 from a present USD 626,290,904Million. All outstanding and unsubscribed shares from the first round of the subscription process may be acquired by shareholders through cash deposits or in exchange for the shares’ value in liabilities owed to them by the Firm and attested to by a report from the firm’s Auditor of Record.

“The fact of the meeting having attracted a quorum of 57.19% of all issued shares — the highest attendance at a Citadel Capital general assembly in the past three years — is a clear vote of shareholder confidence in our ongoing transformation into an investment holding company that will stand as an African leader in infrastructure and resources,” said Citadel Capital Chairman and Founder Ahmed Heikal.

The firm expects the second subscription round for the capital increase to be fully subscribed and completed within the coming three weeks.

The firm’s independent auditor (KPMG / Hazem Hassan) has previously certified USD0.53 million in liabilities to co-investors and shareholders, mainly arising from investment purchases by the firm. Citadel Capital will capitalize an amount equivalent to the uncovered portion of the ongoing capital increase.

The firm’s Ordinary General Meeting, held immediately before the EGM, approved the Citadel Capital’s FY 2013 Standalone Financial Statements and other standard business attendant to the closing of the 2013 business year and the opening of the current fiscal year. 

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Caption: L-R Buganda’s sports and recreation minister Mr. Henry Ssekabembe a Buganda representative, Alex Wekoye, Airtel Brand Manager and Mr. Nuhu Kanyike, Airtel Mobile Money Director

Airtel Uganda launched their new partnership with the Kabaka Foundation at AirtelOffices.  Together with the Kabaka Foundation they hope to help and change the lives of Fistula victims in Uganda.

Only 42 percent of births in Uganda are overseen by a medical professional and this has resulted in between 50-100,000 people being affected on a yearly basis in the sun-Saharan region. This disease is becoming a huge epidemic seeing as in Africa and Asia there are more than two million people living with fistula. The highest are here in Uganda affected by Fistula are Masaka, Igandan, Soroti and Kagando. This is plight is one that Airtel has decided to tackle to build a better and healthier Uganda, with the help of Buganda Kingdom.

Speaking at the occasion, Airtel Moneydirector Mr. NuhuKanyike said “It is part of our social responsibility to look into the needs of society and address them as best we can, in whatever way we are able. Today, we are responding to a call by the Kabaka Foundation to donate monies and help change the lives of though battling Fistula in Buganda.”.”

The Kabaka Foundation and Airtel’spartnership is aimed at encouraging Ugandans to meet their responsibilities as good citizens and to be active participants in society, most especially in those activities of a humanitarian and social nature.

Speaking on behalf of the Katikkiro of Buganda Dr. Charles Mayinga, Buganda’s sports and recreation minister Mr. Henry Ssekabembe praised Airtel’s initiative adding: “Our association in this campaign will go a long way in raising the awareness about the fistula suffering in Uganda and it’s the foundations positive consequences on the health and society.”

The campaign was concluded with a presentation of a cheque of one hundred million Ugandan shillings to the foundation which was received by Buganda’s sports and recreation minister Mr. Henry Ssekabembeand concluded with a unique photo opportunity

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Government of Uganda is taking the steps necessary to launching a one stop electronic trade clearance system, a computerised scheme that saves time, shoe leather and money.  Through the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives (MTIC), a High Level Task Force (HLTF) has been constituted composed of Ministers, Leaders of key institutions and private sector players involved in the facilitation of trade, to agree on national governance and institutional arrangements for adoption and implementation of the electronic single window system (E-SW) in Uganda and consider the proposed roadmap for its implementation. The private sector fully supports the implementation of the E-SW and recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Government of Uganda through MTIC.

Announcing the composition of the team at a HLTF committee meeting held at the Serena Hotel facilitated by TradeMark East Africa, the Minister of Trade, Industry and Technology Hon.James Mutende said a broad range of stakeholders from government and private sector would be consulted to get the necessary data and information needed to operationalize the system which will make it possible for traders and transporters to submit the data needed to declare goods admissible to the authorities at border control using a single portal. These include the Ministry of East African Affairs (MEACA), The Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (MoFPED), Ministry of Works and Transport (MoWT), Uganda Investment Authority (UIA), Uganda Revenue Authority (URA), Ministry of Energy (MoE),National Information Technology Authority (NITA), Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS), DHL, PrivateSector Foundation Uganda (PSFU) and airlines among others.

Mutendecontinued “once fully implemented, the E-SW system will link government, clearing agencies and local traders easing/speeding up international trade.  It will decrease the time the process usually takes by 50 per cent and will complement other national and regional trade facilitation initiatives such as Integrated Border Management (IBM) and One-Stop- Border Posts (OSBP) which will soon be coming online”.

“Adoption of the E-SW SYSTEM is an integral part of the national and regional strategy of using trade as a tool for the promotion of prosperity. The HLTF committee will play a pivotal oversight role in the implementation of the programme and as TradeMark we will support them along the way to ensure they achieve their objectives” noted Allen Asiimwe the Country Director of TradeMark East Africa.

Commenting on the potential impact that the implementation of the system will have on the private sector, The Public Relations Manager of the Private sector Foundation for Uganda Sarah Nakibuuka  said “this is a welcome initiative which will undoubtedly reduce the cost of doing business through the time saved at border crossings and other customs points. Our members are very much encouraged by this and other efforts Government and its respective agencies have introduced aimed at facilitating the growth of trade. ‘’  

Caption Pic 1

(Left to Right) Minister in charge of General duties Tarsis Kabwegyere; State minister for Industry and Technology James Mutende; Country Director Trademark East Africa Allen Asiimwe; and Commissioner External Trade- Ministry of Trade Silver Ojakol attending the High Level Task Force(HLTF) meeting on the implementation of the e-Single window System( E-SW SYSTEM ) in Uganda at Kampala Serena Hotel today.

Caption pic 2

 Minister in Charge of General duties Tarsis Kabwegyere(left) addressing participants at the High Level Task Force(HLTF) meeting on the implementation of the e-Single window System( E-SW SYSTEM ) in Uganda. Looking on is Minister of State for Industry and Technology James Mutende (middle) and Country Director Trademark East Africa Allen Asiimwe (right). The meeting was held at Kampala Serena Hotel today.