Airtel Money and Kampala Capital City Authority unveil e-City project

• Customers can now pay their taxi monthly license, trading license & property rates to KCCA using Airtel Money.

Uganda, Kampala - Today Airtel Uganda and Kampala Capital City Authority officially unveiled the e-City project, an electronic mode for collection of KCCA dues, that allows customers to pay their taxi monthly license, trading license & property rates, land dues and yellow fever vaccinations by using the convenient and instant Airtel Money platform.

Speaking at the launch event, the Airtel Uganda Managing Director Mr. Tom Gutjahr said that Airtel is proud to be associated with the development of Kampala and partnering with KCCA to ease the services provided to its residents. “As the smartphone network, we are extremely gratified that through Airtel Money, all Kampala residents can now pay for their services with ease, securely and instantly”, he said.

Since the launch of this product last year, Airtel money has been the major mode of payment that has been embraced by the public who have credited it for being simple, very secure, time saving and instant. Customers do not have to wait in queues to make payments before they can get service from KCCA.

Airtel Uganda has been at the fore-fronting regards to partnering with companies and fostering innovations that are aimed at improving the lives of their customers.With innovations such as; sending and receiving money across networks, Airtel Money ATM withdrawals, Bank integration, bill payments with Airtel money, Airtime topping up using Airtel Money and now KCCA fee payment using Airtel money, Airtel has always had the interests of their customers at heart and has tried to cater to all of them despite their different locations and economic activities.

The benefits of this KCCA fees payment solution include:

• 24/7 convenient payment solution (anywhere, anytime) - all they need is a phone with an Airtel Money account.
• A customer can pay in installments using their Airtel money account.
• Security – the customer receives a payment receipt which he can present when the KCCA enforcers attack him for not having paid yet he did. He will show them that receipt or go to his Airtel Money account, select KCCA, and a balance he owes KCCA will show, if cleared, he will have zero balance.
• Simple and instant.

Please note:

• To use the Airtel Money KCCA fees payment solution;
• Dial *185#, Select Option 4 Pay Bill
• Select Option 6 KCCA
• Pay KCCA
• Enter Your Reference
• Enter Amount
• Enter PIN

About Bharti Airtel

Bharti Airtel Limited is a leading global telecommunications company with operations in 20 countries across Asia and Africa. Headquartered in New Delhi, India, the company ranks amongst the top 3 mobile service providers globally in terms of subscribers. In India, the company's product offerings include 2G, 3G and 4G wireless services, mobile commerce, fixed line services, high speed DSL broadband, IPTV, DTH, enterprise services including national & international long distance services to carriers. In the rest of the geographies, it offers 2G, 3G and 4G wireless services and mobile commerce. Bharti Airtel had over 328 million customers across its operations at the end of May 2015. To know more please visit, www.airtel.com

MTN commits to thesh50 million pledge, for re-development of Namugongo/Munyonyo shrines

Donation comes ahead of Pope Francis’ visit 

RUBAGA, Kampala: - As the country prepares for the visit of Pope Francis in November this year, MTN Uganda committed to the financial pledge of shs50 million for the expansion and re-development of Martyrs shrine in Namugongo and Munyonyo.

This donation is among the pledges made last year during the fundraising effort in preparation of Pope Francis’ visit.

During the same time MTN Uganda was nominated to support the donations drive targeting shs8 billion using Mobile Money as collection platform, activating the ‘Paapa 2015’ campaign to raise revenue; 30 percent of which will go towards preparations for these initiatives.

“Customers will be required to subscribe for the service and download a caller-tune or download catholic songs and recitations as caller tunes. They will also be able to download Pope's quotes, facts, daily prayers among other content from the MTN play portal,” said Brian Gouldie MTN Uganda’s Chief Executive Officer.

“We are also running an SMS trivia where customers will answer to a quiz by send the keyword “Namugongo” or “POPE” to 6933 to enter and stand a chance to win phones every week. Out of these initiatives 30 percent of MTN’s revenue (after deduction of content provider costs and rewards to customers) from this campaign will go towards the redevelopment project for Namugongo and Munyonyo shrines,” he added.

The shrines, which area significant landmark to the global Catholic community are being developed to become a national tourism and heritage symbol and also to accommodate the growing number of pilgrims and visitors each year.

The money donated by MTN Uganda will also facilitate the preparations for the Supreme Pontiff’s visit, which are already in full gear. 

Pope Francis confirmed in June this year, he would be visiting Uganda in November, becoming the third Pope to have ever visited Uganda, with the first visit in 1969 and more recently in 1993. As one of the pioneers of the telecommunication industry in the country, we want to be part of this historical occasion.

According to Gouldie, the gesture is part of MTN Uganda’s long tradition of giving back to communities and projects that contribute to the common good.

                         

Gouldie said that supporting the Catholic community and Uganda’s efforts during the preparations for the Pope’s visit to Uganda represents the company’s brand ethos and values, of being ‘Better Together’.

“Its because of this background that MTN is supporting the Catholic Church in its efforts to expand and develop Namugongo most especially as we prepare the visit of Pope Francis in November,” noted Gouldie.

“We are also playing an ambassadorial role to make sure we bring other partners to support this cause by creating a Mobile Money account where anyone, any Ugandan can donate money as low as shs500 to this cause,” he added.

A dummy cheque for the financial donation was received at Rubaga on Friday by His Grace Cyprian Kizito Lwanga and presented by MTN Uganda’s chief executive Gouldie.

Archbishop Lwanga thanked the MTN CEO for contributing towards current efforts to expand the shrines. Already over shs500m has been donated by different stakeholders including government for the same cause.

Government recently decided to upgrade Namugongo Martyrs and Munyonyo shrines into a worship and tourism site of global repute. The objective is to develop conclusive facilities at the site for worshippers, pilgrims and tourists.

The comprehensive plan is to refurbish and expand the facilities as a blue print for the rehabilitation of such sites.

About MTN Uganda

Launched in 1998, MTN Uganda is the leading communications operator in Uganda, offering Mobile and Fixed telecommunications, Mobile Money Services and Internet Service Provisioning. As of 30^th June 2015, MTN Uganda recorded 11.1 million subscribers across Uganda. Visit us at www.mtn.co.ug and for our football fans www.mtnfootball.com. Customers can also follow us on www.youtube.com/mtnug and www.twitter.com/mtnug  for assistance.

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Emirates Launches Daily Flight to Bologna

Kampala, Uganda- November, 2015 —Emirates has launched its fourth Italian gateway today, following the arrival of the airline’s Boeing 777-300ER in Bologna.

As the capital of the Emilia Romagna region, Bologna has one of the world’s largest and most well-preserved medieval historical centres and is rich in art, culture and commerce. Located in northern Italy Bologna is an excellent stepping off point for access to Florence, Pisa and the stunning vistas of Tuscany.

Highlighting the airline’s connectivity with the East, passengers on today’s inaugural flight travelled through to Bologna from a diverse mix of destinations including; Dubai, Sydney, Kuala Lumpur, Shanghai and Taipei. As one of the most industrialised cities in Italy access to the airline’s network of more than 50 destinations in the Far East, Middle East and West Asia is expected to further foster business opportunities across the region.

“Our new daily flight to Bologna combines not only our world-class service but also convenient access to this important Italian gateway from across our global network. As the only wide-bodied aircraft to operate from Bologna we bring to the region an unrivalled customer experience across all three cabin classes,” said Thierry Antinori, Emirates’ Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer Commercial Operations Worldwide.

“The gateway to Tuscany, Bologna offers inbound travellers with easy access to this vibrant tourism and commercial hub. We are confident that our new daily flight will bring economic benefit, trade and investment to the region with demand for direct links to and from the Middle East, Asia and Australasia more prevalent than ever”.

Speaking at today’s launch the Mayor of Bologna Virginio Merola said, “Emirates’ investment in our city honors us and makes us proud of the work that we have done together over the years to position our airport and our city as an international gateway. Thanks to the countless routes operated by Emirates we now have direct access to many destinations in the East. A benefit not only for the citizens of Bologna who will travel for business or holidays, but also for the many people from all over the world, who can now get direct links to our territory.”

Enrico Postacchini, Chairman of Bologna Airport said: “The new Emirates’ link to Dubai is an important opportunity for our region, a fundamental outlet to the Far East for companies with a strong international vocation and a new gateway for incoming tourism. We are pleased to welcome Emirates to the Airport of Bologna, an airline of great importance that will allow us to boost Bologna’s international appeal. I would like to extend our gratitude to our partners, and in particular Bologna’s Chamber of Commerce, which has always believed and invested in the development of the airport."

Emirates’ customers travelling to and from Bologna will enjoy unrivalled comfort and amenities on board Emirates' Boeing 777-300ER which is equipped with eight luxurious private suites in First Class, 42 of its latest lie-flat seats in Business Class, and generous space for 310 passengers in Economy Class.

Throughout all cabin classes, passengers can enjoy more than 2,000 channels of entertainment on demand on ice, the airline's award-winning in-flight entertainment system. Passengers on all Emirates flights also have the added bonus of a generous baggage allowance with 30 kilogrammes for those travelling in Economy Class, 40 kilogrammes for Business Class and 50 killogrammes in First Class.

Emirates in Italy

Feeding the underserved Emilia Romagna region, Emirates is the only international carrier to provide direct services from Bologna to Dubai as well as key commercial hubs in the East.

Emirates has been operating in Italy since 1992 with the launch of three weekly flights to Rome. In that time Emirates has grown its services and now operates 56 weekly flights to four cities including; Rome, Milan, Venice and from today, Bologna.

In addition to these flights Emirates also contributes to the Italian economy by way of supplier partnerships, procuring more than €200 million of goods from Italian businesses each year.

Helping companies across the Emilian Romagna region export their goods across the globe Emirates SkyCargo will offer 23 tonnes of cargo capacity per day to Bologna. Key exports will include; cosmetics, construction equipment and machinery, automotive spare parts and handicrafts. Inbound to Bologna Emirates SkyCargo is expected to carry leather goods, garments, footwear and perishables.

As a key transport hub customers looking to travel beyond Bologna will also benefit from the airline’s commercial agreement with Trenitalia linking them directly with multiple points across Italy.

Emirates’ flight EK093 will depart Dubai International Airport at 0900hrs and will arrive at Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport at 1235hrs the same day. The return flight will depart Bologna at 1430hrs and arrive in Dubai at 2320 the same day.

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