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Medkimbugwe [at] HiPipo.com

Vincent Senkyanzi, the winner of the ‘We Believe’ Video Contest has today the 25th of September 2013 received his 10,000,000 shillings cheque from MTN CMO Ernst Fonternel. Ten million shillings is the prize money that MTN Uganda had staked for the contest.

Some time back, MTN Uganda organized a contest that saw creative Ugandans direct music videos for the “We Believe” song. I personally fell in love with the whole idea, simply because there are so many creative Ugandans who, if given the opportunity, can produce astounding results.

I’ve had the opportunity to watch Vincent Sekyanzi’s video and I was so impressed. Even when it is visibly obvious that it was a small budget video, this guy had a very amazing concept. I even imagined that given a slightly bigger budget and a more experienced cast, this man could make an even bigger and better video.

First and foremost, Vincent Sekyanzi’s video captures the Ugandan spirit. I see a young man running along the Northern by-pass all the way to Namboole to watch a game of soccer. I see Ugandans playing soccer on a typical Ugandan football pitch, but above all; I see ordinary Ugandans in a market and on a Boda Boda.

That is exactly what the video of such a song is supposed to capture; the Ugandan spirit. It is not about swag but a video that gives the typical Ugandan feel on a day the Uganda cranes have a match at Namboole.

Vincent’s video is out door and uses a hundred percent natural light. The girl who renders the song does it so passionately and the entire video gives you a raw Ugandan feel. Vincent most definitely nailed it. He coupled the smallness of means with the greatness of purpose to make an awesome video.

I therefore appeal to MTN to give creative Ugandans the chance to take part in other ventures, including coming up with concepts for MTN commercials.

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MTN Uganda has received the 2013 most preferred employer award according to a survey carried out among University graduates in Uganda; the group surveyed form a selection of University students that will soon be joining formal employment.

According to the survey carried out by International Association of Students in Economic and Commercial Sciences (AIESEC), the organisation that runs an exchange programme enabling different students and recent graduates to work in different organizations, the alumnae expect the companies for which they want to work to become more visible to them while they are still at school. AISEC is an international non-profit organization that provides students with leadership training and internship opportunities for-profit and non-profit organisations.

AIESEC recently held its annual employer of choice awards dinner at the Imperial Royale Hotel Kampala where graduates selected their Graduate Employer of the year.  The event attracted exchange students from different countries all over the world.

MTN Uganda emerged winner followed by Bank of Uganda in second place and The Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) took third position. This is the third time MTN Uganda is receiving the graduate Awards, having scooped the same in 2011 for Best practices around learning and External trainings, as well as in 2012.

The findings of the survey recommended that companies increase their activities around university campuses. It also showed that most students would look in to their networks to search for jobs.

Speaking about the accolade, MTN Uganda’s General Manager-Human Resources, Michael Sekadde said, as a top player in the Economy of Uganda, MTN is proud that students have a high opinion of the Company.

He added that giving the company the opportunity to be rated is an honour that MTN is committed to maintaining.

“MTN Uganda’s success is underpinned by the high caliber Human Resources we employ. It is satisfying to know that we have maintained our attractiveness as an employer to the youthful talent that is released by the universities every year,” he said.

About the MTN Uganda

Launched in 1998, MTN Uganda is the leading communications operator in Uganda, offering Mobile and Fixed telecommunications, Mobile Money Services and Internet Service Provisioning. As of 30 June 2013, MTN Uganda recorded 8 million subscribers across Uganda. Visit us at www.mtn.co.ug  and for our football fans www.mtnfootball.com . Customers can also follow us on www.youtube.com/mtnug  and www.twitter.com/mtnugandacare  for assistance.

About the MTN Group

Launched in 1994, the MTN Group is a leading emerging market operator, connecting subscribers in 22 countries in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. The MTN Group is listed on the JSE Securities Exchange in South Africa under the share code: “MTN.” As of 30 June 2013, MTN recorded 201.5 million subscribers across 22 countries. Visit us at www.mtn.com  , www.mtnbusiness.com  , www.mtnmmo.com   and for our football fans www.mtnfootball.com

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HiPipo Team

MTN Uganda has kept the fire burning, interacting and catching up with the media; they are major stakeholders in the marketing, public relations and promotion of business, products and services.

On Friday 20th September, MTN Uganda organized the Northern Uganda Media Party in Gulu town to mainly thank the media in the region for their constant support to MTN, Uganda’s biggest telecom brand.

The meet, greet and dine party was led by MTN Uganda Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Mr. Ernst Fonternel who hosted the Media. It was attended by Media representatives, officials from MTN Uganda team and Metropolitan Republic; the agency that handles MTN’s advertising and public relations account.

Attending guests were treated to great dinner, unlimited drinks plus gifts and goodies from MTN Uganda. Ghetto President Bobi Wine alongside Nubian Li entertained the guests.

Speaking at the event, Mr. Ernst Fonternel thanked the media and MTN customers for their support that has kept MTN Uganda as the number one mobile telecommunications service provider in the country.

“We sincerely appreciate your contribution towards helping us achieve our greater goals. You have been quite instrumental in supporting MTN through hosting talk shows, radio endorsements, and regional coverage of MTN activities” Ernst added.

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KCCA utilises social media for closer engagement with city dwellers

The Kampala Capital City Authority has organised an online engagement forum between the public and KCCA Executive Director, Jennifer Musisi on Thursday 19^th September, 2013 at 4:00pm aimed at increasing awareness and knowledge on the upcoming Kampala City Festival scheduled for Sunday 6^th October, 2013 starting at 9:00am.

Dubbed “Ask the ED”, the forum will host the KCCA Executive Director on the authority’s official Twitter page, https://twitter.com/KCCAUG at City Hall’s Executive Boardroom to tackle questions, get feedback and exchange ideas with the general public on the Kampala City Festival 2013 which has been themed “Our City Our Celebration”.

The online event is part of a wider plan by the authority to closely engage its stakeholders, who are the Kampala City dwellers. “Ask the ED” twitter sessions will be held on diverse dates over a period of four weeks culminating to the Festival during which the public will have the opportunity to be part of the conversation through comments and questions which will be responded to by the Executive Director.

While commenting on this development, KCCA Executive Director Jennifer Musisi said the public should expect more of such forums as the Authority works towards closer engagement with stakeholders. “We are excited to be hosting this first-ever online event,” said Jennifer Musisi. “It is certainly a departure from the norm, and we hope it signals that KCCA is open and willing to communicate.”

With more than 8,354 followers on Twitter, it is envisaged that many participants will show interest in the event and take part in it. Interested participants will need to visit the KCCA Twitter page, https://twitter.com/KCCAUG.

“This will be an extremely interesting and eye opening experience…I look forward to engaging with Kampala city dwellers in this forum on Friday,” said Jennifer Musisi.

The Festival’s theme this year is ‘Our City Our Celebration’ and will be a platform to celebrate the many things that set Kampala apart from other cities. It is a much anticipated moment for citizens to share and learn and it will be an economic engine for organizations to grow, network and prosper.

Information about Kampala City Festival is available on KCCA’s website www.kcca.go.ug. The public can also get real time information and updates by visiting KCCA’s Facebook page on https://www.facebook.com/kccaug on and Twitter handle on https://twitter.com/KCCAUG .You can also look out for press and posters for details.

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British Airways has launched a ‘Lifetime Recognition’ award for Gold Members of its loyalty scheme, the Executive Club. 

The scheme will enable customers who collect 35,000 or more Lifetime Tier Points over the course of their membership to retain their Gold status for life.

Faith Chaitezvi BA Country Commercial Manager said, “This is about us recognising our most loyal customers who fly very regularly with us gathering Tier Points and Avios at the moment. When they stop flying so regularly their tier status drops. As an airline, we know that our customers want to continue being recognised for all their years of loyal custom, something we’re reacting to.

The Lifetime Tier Points are calculated by adding up all the tier points ever collected by a customer over the course of their Executive Club membership. Customers can track the number they have collected on ba.com.

This means customers can continue to enjoy all the benefits of Gold membership for life, irrespective of how much flying they continue to do, including:

• Double Avios whenever they fly with British Airways
• The opportunity to reserve the airline’s best seats
• Additional reward seats only for Gold Members
• Priority First class check-in with all British Airways and oneworld® flights
• The luxury of British Airways’ lounges shared with a guest
• Generous additional checked baggage allowance for all cabins
• Special privileges at some of the world’s most luxurious hotels

British Airways will automatically renew the Gold Executive Card for eligible customers every year. 

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• The largest private equity firm in Africa is transforming into an investment company;
• Subject to shareholder approval, the capital increase will result in the firm acquiring majority control of most of its platform companies, particularly in its 5 core focus industries.

Citadel Capital (CCAP.CA on the Egyptian Exchange), the leading investment company in Africa and the Middle East with US$ 9.5 billion in investments under control, has received regulatory clearance from the Egyptian Financial Supervisory Authority (EFSA) to convene a general meeting at which shareholders will be asked to approve the launch of a USD 529 million capital increase.

The proposed share issuance would be at par value (USD 0.73) and would see the firm’s paid-in capital rise to USD 1,145 million from USD 615 million.

Citadel Capital’s proposed share issuance is part of the firm’s transformation from the largest private equity firm in Africa into the leading investment company in the region. The proposed capital increase will be used by Citadel Capital to reach 51-100% ownership in most of its platform companies, in particular the firm’s subsidiaries in its five core industries: energy, transportation, agrifoods, mining and cement.

The firm plans to exit non-core investments over the coming few years as it transforms its business model to become an investment company.

Focus and Growth in Five Core Industries

Citadel Capital will maintain a focus on five core industries with its present emphasis on large-scale investments across Egypt, East Africa and North Africa, the heart of its current investment footprint.

“Economic fallout from the Arab Spring has generally depressed asset values and put liquidity at a premium, making this an opportune moment to increase our holding in core investments,” said Citadel Capital Chairman and Founder Ahmed Heikal. “At the same time, that fallout has also accelerated and brought into sharp relief a number of macro trends that are very favorable to our core investments.”

“Capturing the upside presented by these macro trends is demanding transformation in our DNA that will allow a more concentrated focus on a limited number of investments,” noted Heikal. “We believe we will be creating outstanding value for our shareholders by holding investments in our five core industries for the long-term. We are increasing our investment in proven management teams and in businesses that are clearly on the right side of these macro trends — all at very attractive valuations.”

The long-term holding periods permitted by the new model will allow Citadel Capital to maximize value creation through a balanced portfolio that includes a healthy mix of both assets that provide stable dividend streams and that are cash generative, and others that are in high-growth phases.

“Moreover, the investment company model will allow management to maintain a sharp focus on the companies it knows best while simultaneously making Citadel Capital easier for analysts and investors to value,” added Citadel Capital Co-Founder and Managing Director Hisham. “The new model would further provide Citadel Capital with an expanded balance sheet, allowing for improved financing options.”

Funding the Capital Increase

At the upcoming general meeting, shareholders will be asked to vote on a USD 529 million capital increase at par (USD 0.73 per share) that would see Citadel Capital’s total paid-in capital rise to USD 1,145 million from USD 615 million today through the issuance of 728,375,000 new shares, of which 182,093,750 would be preferred shares and 546,281,250 common shares.

The firm’s total number of shares post-capital increase would stand at 1.6 billion shares, of which 1.2 billion would be common shares and a further 400 million preferred.

The proposed capital increase will be a key step in a process that will see co-investors and limited partners (LPs) in the firm’s platform companies given the opportunity to become shareholders in Citadel Capital.

Valuations of the underlying platform companies have been completed by HC Securities (an independent financial consultant certified by EFSA), accepted by participating LPs, and ratified by shareholders at an ordinary general meeting (OGM) held on 2 June 2013. At the OGM, shareholders also voted to allow Citadel Capital’s Board of Directors to execute the acquisition of the additional stakes in the company’s subsidiaries. These purchases will be settled through the proposed issuance of shares to which participating LPs have undertaken to subscribe.

Orderly Exits of Non-Core Investments

As it begins divesting non-core investments, Citadel Capital will call on proven expertise in exit management that has seen it generate US$ 2.2 billion in cash returns on investments of US$ 650 million, more than any other private equity firm in the MENA region.

“The exit process will be orderly and primarily through trade sales, and we will continue to drive growth at select non-core investments prior to exit through the deployment of long-term funding,” said El-Khazindar.

The process of divestiture of non-core business is expected to take place over a minimum of three years.

Clear Support from Key Stakeholders

In addition to Citadel Capital Partners and co-investors, Heikal noted, “our board of directors is very supportive of our new model and we look forward to receiving shareholder approval for the capital increase.

“This transformation into an investment company will give Citadel Capital a significant competitive edge region-wide in our core industries: We will be among only a handful of investors who are deploying the financial and intellectual capital our investments demand at a time when a great many others are sidelined,” added Heikal.

“As one of the few large-scale firms actively investing in Egypt, East and North Africa in industries that are of vital importance to regional governments, we expect to continue receiving widespread regional and international financial support for our planned new investments, which generally help governments tackle pressing national problems,” concluded El-Khazindar.

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About the MTN Uganda

Launched in 1998, MTN Uganda is the leading communications operator in Uganda, offering Mobile and Fixed telecommunications, Mobile Money Services and Internet Service Provisioning. As of 30 June 2013, MTN Uganda recorded 8 million subscribers across Uganda. Visit us at www.mtn.co.ug and for our football fans www.mtnfootball.com. Customers can also follow us on www.youtube.com/mtnug and www.twitter.com/mtnugandacare for assistance.

About the MTN Group

Launched in 1994, the MTN Group is a leading emerging market operator, connecting subscribers in 22 countries in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. The MTN Group is listed on the JSE Securities Exchange in South Africa under the share code: “MTN.” As of 30 June 2013, MTN recorded 201.5 million subscribers across 22 countries. Visit us at www.mtn.com , www.mtnbusiness.com , www.mtnmmo.com  and for our football fans www.mtnfootball.com

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First Commercial train arrives in Gulu

RVR rebuilds and reopens railway line to northern Uganda

• Track reopened after 20 years will enable easier access to South Sudan and eastern DRC

Gulu, 14^th September 2013: Regional rail operator Rift Valley Railways (RVR) is set to change the transport and logistics landscape within East Africa after rebuilding and reopening the Tororo-Gulu-Pakwach railway line to northern Uganda.

The 500km railway track which was last in operation in 1993 is now open for business following recently completed repairs on the track, bridges and culverts that had been destroyed following two decades of disuse.

The rehabilitation was fully funded by RVR at a cost of $2 million to facilitate freight cargo access by rail to northern Uganda and allow much easier transhipment by road to Juba in South Sudan and Eastern DRC.  

The first train carrying steel imports for Juba from the port of Mombasa was received in Gulu today (September 14^th). Spedag Interfreight, a leading pan-African logistics company, will transship the goods by road to Juba.

RVR’s external affairs director, Cosma Gatere said: “This new service will play a vital role in promoting regional integration and trade by accessing areas hitherto closed to rail transportation. Working with logistics partners and our own logistics subsidiary, East Africa Rail and Handling, we will provide end-to-end transport and delivery solutions for customers in this important part of East Africa”.

Spedag Interfreight Managing Director Heinz Mueller applauded RVR for the move saying that by re-opening the northern line, the company had made a big step forward in boosting growth of businesses in and near northern Uganda.

“We are excited by the logistical options the opening of the line presents through combinations of rail and last-mile road delivery both for imports and exports” he Mr. Mueller said. “We will now be able to provide more efficient cargo transport to customers along routes in northern Uganda, eastern DRC and South Sudan, and avoid long trips by roads”.

RVR will be expanding its presence in Gulu with a view to making the town a logistical hub for its operations in northern Uganda and the surrounding regions.  

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British Airways is set to add an additional frequency to Uganda to offer four weekly flights effective from 30 March 2014.

The new Uganda schedule will see flights depart Terminal 5 on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays at 12:20 and arrive in Entebbe at 22:50 the same day. The return flights on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays will depart Entebbe at 01:00 and arrive at Terminal 5 at 07:50, which will give customers a full day in London or plenty of time to make connections to other flights.

The schedule will be amended to offer better connections to other international services through Terminal 5.

The airline meanwhile is growing its African frequencies, improving connectivity through London Heathrow and introducing its latest products.

In West Africa it will increase its daily services to Ghana by three a week from 27 October using Boeing 767s to complement the existing Boeing 777 flights, bringing the total number of weekly services up to 10. From Summer 2014, a larger four-cabin Boeing 747 aircraft will replace one of the current Boeing 777s currently on the route.  It will also add a fourth weekly service to Sierra Leone and Liberia.

North African services have been bolstered by a fourth weekly flight to Tripoli.

South African customers are already able to make bookings for the A380, the airline’s largest and most modern aircraft, which begins flying to Johannesburg on 12 February.

This is only the third A380 route to be announced after Los Angeles and Hong Kong.

Services to Cape Town will double from the current daily service to a double-daily operation over the busy South African summer season. British Airways is the only airline which flies directly from Cape Town to London year round.

It is also investing in its lounges and by the end of the year the Cape Town and Johannesburg facilities will be upgraded to reflect the customer experience at in the Terraces lounges in the award-winning Terminal 5.

“We continue to consider the continent as an important growth market and the acquisition of bmi, our fleet renewal programme and Terminal 5 have enabled us to grow frequencies, introduce new products and provide more convenient connections for our African customers,” says Ian Petrie, Regional Manager Africa.