MTN UGANDA CEO DEPORTATION MTN confirms that Mr. Wim Vanhelleputte, the CEO of MTN Uganda has been deported from Uganda.MTN has not been notified of the grounds for the deportation and is working hard to establish precise reasons for the deportation. @MTNGroup pic.twitter.com/BTVgyaWBVW — MTN Uganda (@mtnug) February 15, 2019 Telecommunications giant MTN Uganda has […]
MTN UGANDA CEO DEPORTATION
MTN confirms that Mr. Wim Vanhelleputte, the CEO of MTN Uganda has been deported from Uganda.
MTN has not been notified of the grounds for the deportation and is working hard to establish precise reasons for the deportation. @MTNGroup pic.twitter.com/BTVgyaWBVW— MTN Uganda (@mtnug) February 15, 2019
Telecommunications giant MTN Uganda has confirmed the deportation of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Wim Vanhelleputte and announced the appointment of Chief Technology Officer, Gordian Kyomukama as acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
Wim was briefly detained at Entebbe International Airport yesterday before being flown to Belgium.
Vanhelleputte reportedly arrived at Entebbe International Airport in handcuffs on his way to deportation. This came after the ministry of Foreign Affairs released a document clarifying his unwelcome status in Uganda and dispatched security personnel to immediately pick him and deliver him to the airport for instantaneous deportation.
“Wim Vanhelleputte has been declared an undesirable immigrant by virtue of section 52(g) of the Uganda Citizenship and Immigration Control Act and has become a prohibited immigrant,” the deportation order signed by the Internal Affairs Minister, Gen.Jeje Odongo, reads in part.
MTN had earlier said it was yet to be notified of the “grounds for the deportation” and was working hard to “establish precise reasons” for the deportation.
But police spokesperson Fred Enanga yesterday said the deportation was related to threatening ‘national security.’
Vanhelleputte becomes the latest of several expatriate senior managers at MTN to have been deported from Uganda over the last months. He has been in Uganda as MTN Uganda CEO for two and a half years, having been named to the post in August 2016.
The deportation comes shortly after the arrest and deportation of three other top employees at the company including Olivier Prentout, Elsa Mussolini, the MTN mobile money general manager and Annie Tabura who was the general manager for sales and distribution at MTN Uganda.
The three were linked to activities of supporting subversive activities backed by a foreign government using MTN Mobile Money (MOMO) and numerous unregistered SIM cards.
MTN said they were “understandably concerned about these developments and are engaging with the authorities to seek understanding that would lead us to resolving this matter.”
We are understandably concerned about these developments and are engaging with the authorities to seek understanding that would lead us to resolving this matter. @MTNGroup
— MTN Uganda (@mtnug) February 15, 2019
In a statement, the Telecom further said, “to ensure business continuity, we have appointed Mr. Gordian Kyomukama, currently Chief Technology Officer, as Acting Chief Executive. Our focus continues to be on delivering the best quality products and services to our customers.”
To ensure business continuity, we have appointed Mr. Gordian Kyomukama, currently Chief Technology Officer, as Acting Chief Executive. Our focus continues to be on delivering the best quality products and services to our customers. @MTNGroup
— MTN Uganda (@mtnug) February 15, 2019
MTN Uganda said it is fully committed to respecting and operating within the laws of the country.
MTN Uganda is fully committed to respecting and operating within the laws of the country.
Ends.
– Issued by @MTNGroup Corporate Affairs— MTN Uganda (@mtnug) February 15, 2019
It is important to note that on Monday this week, Major general Don Nabaasa the commander of the Special Forces Command SFC told a belated joint special forces and UPDF Airforce Tarehe Sita celebrations in Entebbe that the expelled individuals were mobilizing and financing the youth on behalf of external enemies to topple president Museveni.
‘’They won’t come physically, but if they come here it will be best because we are very ready for them. Unfortunately they will not come. They will spend money and people ,like the ones of late being deported , to mobilize the youth because they have the manpower here and the youth are very easy to convince .Please talk them and they see that the stability of the country is their future,’’ the SFC commander noted.
