The Honourable Minister of ICT and National Guidance, Dr. Chris Baryomunsi on Thursday welcomed Soumendra Sahu at the Ministry’s head offices in Kampala following his appointment as the new Managing Director of Airtel Uganda.
During his courtesy visit, the minister challenged him to add to the contribution made by Uganda’s maiden Mobile operator to the socio-economic transformation of Uganda. He also recollected the ICT policy development journey that the country has undertaken that supports the participation of private players like Airtel — thanking the telco for participating in the liberal market reforms that started in 1994 and for their contributions including the listing of 20% of their shares on the Uganda Stock Exchange under the National Broad Band obligations, the pioneering of 5G in Uganda, and the expansion of internet access to remote areas.
Baryomunsi also challenged the Airtel team to continuously listen to customer feedback, innovate, and deliver world-class products. “The known challenges notwithstanding, continue to invest in the network, teach the customers, and deliver the good service that we have now been accustomed to,” he said. “Most of all, pay your taxes.”
Sahu thanked the minister and the government for the conducive policy and regulatory environment that has allowed the telco to actively participate in the ICT transformation journey of this country. He informed the minister that they will continue to draw from the global reach of Airtel Africa and Bharti Airtel to comply with policy and regulatory obligations while participating in the shared responsibility of connecting people and businesses to global opportunities.
“Our commitment is to innovate and deliver products, services, and solutions that are responsive to the needs of our customers while maintaining global standards and accountability,” Sahu told the minister.
Sahu also paid a courtesy visit to the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of ICT and National Guidance, Dr. Aminah Zawedde and their meeting centered on fostering collaboration to advance digital transformation initiatives and strengthen partnerships in the ICT sector, with a focus on driving innovation and enhancing telecom services in Uganda.
Following his appointment, Sahu has been seen making courtesy visits with the recent being to the Uganda Communication Commission’s Executive Director, Hon. George William Nyombi Tembo — where he reaffirmed his commitment to improving service delivery while complying with regulatory obligations.
