18 October 2019

The Mauritian government has denied claims it held a “secret” meeting with Uganda’s state minister for investments and privatisation Evelyn Anite over the acquisition of shares in the troubled Uganda Telecom Limited (UTL).

It owns over 30% shares in Mauritius Telecom Limited (MTL), one of the companies that had bid to recapitalise UTL.

In August, Ugandan media reported that minister Anite had secretly travelled to the island nation to meet directors of the said company in what was claimed to be a sinister move to hand over the multibillion contract.

Although she admitted travelling to Mauritius, the minister said she did not meet the MTL directors and hold any discussions with them in regards to UTL.

In a letter dated September 23rd, 2019, G. Banymandhub, Mauritius’ secretary to cabinet wrote that no meetings have been held between representatives of MT and any member of Ugandan government including Anite.

Banymandhub said that Mauritius government pulled out of the process of acquiring a stake in UTL in September 2018 after realising that a rival bidder [Teleology Holdings] was in process of being awarded the contract and that since then it has not  pursued anything.

“MT has confirmed that no meeting was held between Mrs Evelyn Anite and themselves in Mauritius and they were not even aware if Mrs Anite travelled to Mauritius in August 2019,” the statement reads.