Yolanda Cuba, the MTN Uganda Vice President for South and Eastern Africa has

commended government of Uganda for putting in place a stable and predictable policy

environment as she delivered opening remarks at the second Uganda – South Africa Trade

and Investment Summit in Munyonyo, Kampala.

She said government appreciates that the private sector must get return on investment.

“In most countries, they roll out the red carpet. Then, they roll out the red tape. But Uganda

appreciates that we must get return on investment. If there is an agreement, it gets honored

and that’s important for business,” Cuba said.

“She added: “Uganda was our third market to launch into when we were starting to roll out.

Today, there are 18 million Ugandans connected to our voice and data services and there are

11 million Ugandans using our Mobile Money services. That has happened because of the

great collaboration with the government of Uganda.”

Cuba explained that having the right partners in place and having the right regulatory

environment to be able to do business has pivotal to MTN success. She pointed out that due

to this clarity of policy, MTN received spectrum allocation and launched 5G – the first to do

so in Uganda, in record time.

The first session of the Uganda-South Africa Trade and Investment Summit was held in

February 2023 during the State visit of H.E President Yoweri K. Museveni to South Africa.

During that meeting their Excellences, President Cyril Rwamaphosa and President Yoweri K.

Museveni approved the convening and hosting of the second session of the Uganda-South

Africa Trade and Investment Summit in Kampala, which has just concluded in Munyonyo.

More than 50 companies were represented at the second Uganda- South Africa trade and

investment summit

The Summit was attended by Hon. Thoko Didiza, Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and

Rural Development, Hon. Mondli Gungubele, Minister of Communication and Digital

Technologies, and Hon. Nomalungelo Gina, Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and

Competition from the Republic of South Africa.

On the Ugandan side was Hon. John Mulimba, Minister of State for Regional Cooperation,

Hon. Bright Rwamirama, Minister of State for Animal Husbandry, Hon. Peter Lokeris,

Minister of State for Mineral Development, Morrisson Rwakakamba, Chairman Uganda

Investment Authority, Odrek Rwabwogo, Senior Presidential Advisor on Special Duties, and

Humphrey Nzeyi, Chairman of the Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU).

MTN Uganda was the main sponsor alongside Absa Bank, Stanbic Bank, dfcu Bank, Sanlam,

Multichoice, Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU), Uganda Investment Authority (UIA)

and the Presidential Advisory Committee on Exports and Industrial Development (PACEID).

The recent attack on a Kasese school has begun having a negative impact on the tourism industry in the Rwenzori region.

Sector players in Kasese district have decried cancellations of bookings by tourists.

In 2019, Kasese District Council passed a motion designating Kases as a tourist district, raising its profile as a tourist destination.

The district is home to fresh water lakes Edward and Georg, Kazinga Channel, Queen Elizabeth, and Mt Rwenzori national parks, and Katwe salt lake, among other unique features.

However, Beno Isuka, the chief Executive officer of the Rwenzori Mountaineering Services, a mountain hiking and tour guide company, says clients have cancelled four trips following the attack.

He says these cancellations mean loss of money from foreign exchange, park fees, transport and local hotel services.

John Hunwicks, of Rwenzori Trekking Services, says many of their clients who had booked and paid up have asked for a refund after the attack.

Early last week, the Uganda Tourism Board, issued a statement, encouraging tourists to treat the attack on Mpondwe Lhubiriha Secondary school as an isolated incident, saying Uganda remains safe under the protection of the Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF).

After eight years largely away from the spotlight, Juliana Kanyomozi returned in a big way last evening at the Serena Hotel.