By Spy Uganda
Kampala: The Uganda Communication Commission (UCC) has confirmed that Africell Uganda Limited (Africell) decided to stop providing telecommunication services in Uganda.
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Africell entered the Ugandan telecom market in 2014 after acquiring majority shares in Orange Uganda Limited. Africell’s shareholders have, however, decided to reconsolidate their investments in Africa and have accordingly decided that they do not wish to have Uganda as part of Africell’s portfolio anymore and instead focus on other parts of the world where they have a competitive advantage.
In accordance with its mandate under the Act and the Regulations made thereunder, the Commission has set several conditions to be satisfied by Africell before her planned exit.
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According to UCC, the pre-exit conditions are intended to ensure that the interests and rights of Africell’s customers, agents, employees, trade creditors and the Government of Uganda are safeguarded before the exit. ”The Commission is also working with sister agencies to ensure compliance with the various laws, including the National Environment Protection Act and the Data Protection and Privacy Act,” says UCC.
The Commission further notes that Africell has committed to ensuring that all customers, agents, employees and other trade creditors are paid their claims before the actual date of cessation of operation in Uganda. ”Therefore, all persons with claims against Africell are advised to immediately contact Africell to work out arrangements to settle their claims before the 7th of October 2021,” says UCC.
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”The Commission assures all stakeholders that Uganda’s communication sector is resilient and attractive to local and foreign investors, and sufficient measures have been instituted to ensure that Africell’s exit does not negatively affect the stability and integrity of the communication sector in Uganda,” UCC noted.
UCC was established under section 4 of the Uganda Communications Act, 2013(the Act) as the regulator of the communications sector in Uganda with the mandate to, among others, monitor, inspect, licence, supervise, control, promote and safeguard the interests of consumers and providers of communications services in Uganda.
