Airtel Appoints Country Manager For Rwanda

The Indian-based telecommunication company that were earlier this month granted license to launch 2G and 3G mobile services in Rwand September 23 announced the appointment of the Country Manager, Marcellin Paluku.

Paluka, with over 15 years field familiarity at FMCG and telecom companies including Coca-Cola and Celtel, worked across the continent, has been the Commercial Director at Airtel DR Congo where he played a role in ensuring Airtel’s position in send largest country in Africa.

Jayant Khosla, CEO Anglophone Africa said of Paluka’s appointment: “Rwanda is a market with great growth potential. As with all our operations, the leadership team in Airtel Rwanda will be made up of passionate and experienced Rwandans who are committed to our goal of providing world class mobile broadband services.”

The Chairman and Managing Director of Bharti Airtel Limited Sunil Mittal had previously observed that Rwanda is a key telecom market in the Region.
He said that Rwanda’s market has immense growth potential noting that it will strengthen Bharti airtel’s footprint in East Africa.

“We are pleased to be part of the vision of the government of Rwanda to take telecommunications forward as a priority,” Mittal told the press after being awarded the license in Kigali.

Bharti Airtel becomes the third mobile telecommunication operator after MTN Rwanda, said to be with 2,824,874 subscribers and TIGO Rwanda with 1,300,159 subscribers in an over 10 million population.

One of the top world’s telecommunication services provider acquired Kuwait-based Zain Telecom for about US $10.7 billion.

Approximately Frw 59Bn is up to be invested for operations to set off.

This comes soon after commercial court of Nyarugenge ruled that Rwandatel should liquidate its assets in order to pay debts amounting to US$ 88.9 million.

This came after Rwanda’s Utilities Regulatory Agency (RURA) withdrew Rwandatel’s GSM Mobile license in April this year, where within weeks, the Office of the Registrar General had instituted insolvency proceedings against the company.