Uganda deports MTN chief executive over security concerns

Uganda’s security agencies and immigration department have
deported the chief executive of the largest telecommunications
company in the country over security reasons.

MTN Uganda on Friday confirmed the deportation of Wim
Vanhelleputte.

“MTN has not been notified of the grounds for the deportation,”
the company however tweeted.

Vanhelleputte, a Belgian national, was deported to Belgium late
on Thursday over circumstances of threatening national security,
said police spokesman, Fred Enanga.

Vanhelleputte is the fourth employee of the South African
multinational company to be deported in the past several weeks,
following the deportations of a French, Rwandan and Italian
employee.

MTN has appointed Gordian Kyomukama, currently chief technology
officer, as acting chief executive to ensure business
continuity.

When he recently met Rob Shuter, chief executive officer of the
MTN Group, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, said he had warned
the company against “under-declaring calls’’ and “cheating
government of revenue,” noting that the government had bought
machines to track calls.

Museveni insisted that the company must list its shares on the
local stock exchange to enable Ugandans to own part of it.