Museveni asks phone giants to cut charges
Nov 01, 2004
President Yoweri Museveni has asked the three mobile phone operators in Uganda to lower phone tariffs to enable the developed world outsource more work to Ugandans
By Emmy Olaki
President Yoweri Museveni has asked the three mobile phone operators in Uganda to lower phone tariffs to enable the developed world outsource more work to Ugandans.
He said large companies in the developed world were shunning labour in the countries because it was very expensive and preferred to outsource to countries with cheaper labour.
“The American and European workers have priced themselves out of competition. So telephone companies, pull up your socks so that we can take advantage and capture this business. We don’t want to miss this business for anything, because our children are very qualified. Cheap and efficient phone services are an important link,†he said.
Museveni was officiating at the launch of Celtel’s new brand and identity at the company’s offices on Wampewo Avenue in Kampala.
The launch was done simultaneously in Kenya and Tanzania, making Celtel the only company operating in all the East African countries.
“The relaunch of Celtel marks a significant milestone, since this was our very first operation in Africa, nine years ago. As we celebrate our rebranding in Uganda, we also mark our elevation as the first and only telecom company operating in all East African countries,†said Mohammed Ibrahim, founder and chairman Celtel International.
“We are extremely delighted to be at the heart of a vibrant region, and look forward to working with East Africans in making the common vision of regional integration a reality,†Ibrahim said.
In Uganda, the company is upgrading its system to ensure uninterrupted calls.
Ibrahim said the Celtel expansion was a great opportunity to further the common East African community vision of creating synergies to spur economic and social development.
Museveni praised the privatisation and liberalisation programmes, saying they had improved services in Uganda.
“When we came to power in 1986, there were only 28,000 lines, and getting a connection was very difficult. Today we have more than one million lines, and they are efficient,†he said.
At the function, Museveni had a three-minute telephone chat with the prime minister of Zanzibar. “The call is very clear and fast. I am very happy with Celtel’s contribution to this country and ask them to speed up the East African process, because we East Africans are one people. We speak the same languages,†he said.
Communications minister John Nassaira said despite the growth in the subsector, many Ugandans, mainly in the rural areas, did not have access to telecommunications services.
He said the Government’s rural communications policy developed in 2001 would address this.
President Yoweri Museveni has asked the three mobile phone operators in Uganda to lower phone tariffs to enable the developed world outsource more work to Ugandans.
He said large companies in the developed world were shunning labour in the countries because it was very expensive and preferred to outsource to countries with cheaper labour.
“The American and European workers have priced themselves out of competition. So telephone companies, pull up your socks so that we can take advantage and capture this business. We don’t want to miss this business for anything, because our children are very qualified. Cheap and efficient phone services are an important link,†he said.
Museveni was officiating at the launch of Celtel’s new brand and identity at the company’s offices on Wampewo Avenue in Kampala.
The launch was done simultaneously in Kenya and Tanzania, making Celtel the only company operating in all the East African countries.
“The relaunch of Celtel marks a significant milestone, since this was our very first operation in Africa, nine years ago. As we celebrate our rebranding in Uganda, we also mark our elevation as the first and only telecom company operating in all East African countries,†said Mohammed Ibrahim, founder and chairman Celtel International.
“We are extremely delighted to be at the heart of a vibrant region, and look forward to working with East Africans in making the common vision of regional integration a reality,†Ibrahim said.
In Uganda, the company is upgrading its system to ensure uninterrupted calls.
Ibrahim said the Celtel expansion was a great opportunity to further the common East African community vision of creating synergies to spur economic and social development.
Museveni praised the privatisation and liberalisation programmes, saying they had improved services in Uganda.
“When we came to power in 1986, there were only 28,000 lines, and getting a connection was very difficult. Today we have more than one million lines, and they are efficient,†he said.
At the function, Museveni had a three-minute telephone chat with the prime minister of Zanzibar. “The call is very clear and fast. I am very happy with Celtel’s contribution to this country and ask them to speed up the East African process, because we East Africans are one people. We speak the same languages,†he said.
Communications minister John Nassaira said despite the growth in the subsector, many Ugandans, mainly in the rural areas, did not have access to telecommunications services.
He said the Government’s rural communications policy developed in 2001 would address this.