from HASSAN ONYANGO in Kampala, Uganda
Uganda Bureau
KAMPALA, (CAJ News) – THE MTN Group has pledged its commitment to Uganda, its first market outside its headquarters in South Africa.
This past weekend, under the aegis of the MTN Group annual Chairmen’s Forum in Uganda, a delegation of the mobile operator’s executives visited the State House Entebbe where they met President Yoweri Museveni.
This was under the aegis of the Chairmen’s Forum, culminating in MTN Group Chairman, Mcebisi Jonas, and President and Chief Executive Officer, Ralph Mupita, meeting Museveni, and some national leaders as well as key stakeholders to reinforce the company’s commitment to Uganda as a strategic market.
Jonas expressed appreciation for the collaboration between MTN and the government.
Granted in 1998, the licence to operate in Uganda marked the beginning of MTN’s international expansion.
“We have had excellent collaboration from the regulators. MTN is not here for the short term. We are here for the long haul,” Jonas said.
He also emphasised MTN’s interest in strengthening trade and business linkages between Uganda and South Africa.
“We believe there is real opportunity to help Ugandan businesses enter the South African market, and that is something we can explore further,” Jonas said.
Museveni, after the meeting, encouraged MTN and other corporate to invest in sectors that generate jobs and raise incomes.
“If people have jobs and incomes, they will buy more phones and use them more,” he said.
The president urged for investments in sectors of wealth and job creation, including commercial agriculture, manufacturing, services, and ICT.
“Finally, I encourage MTN and other investors to explore manufacturing partnerships and take advantage of Africa’s emerging opportunities in regional trade and industrialization,” Museveni concluded.
– CAJ News