Firms gripe about Uganda telecom inertia

Telecom companies in Uganda are reportedly growing suspicious about the government's perceived reluctance to finalize a new telecom policy.

A report in Thursday's Monitor indicated that the information and telecom sector is beginning to doubt Kampala's commitment to overhauling the previous policy that had left telecoms virtually in the hands of two companies -- Mobile Telecommunications Network and Uganda Telecommunications Ltd.

The previous policy expired last summer, but the government has yet to act upon a draft proposal that was submitted to the government last January by industry players seeking to enter the market.

While the companies complain about the inaction, government officials retort that few prospective players have the capital resources needed to finance a significant expansion and modernization of Uganda's telecom and wireless network.

Copyright 2005 by United Press International