Airtel Rwanda which is owned by Barti Airtel and the Kagames, with the Kagames being the minority share holder with around 45% of shares. Airtel Rwanda has now bought Tigo Rwanda which is owned by Millicom and the Kagames with the Kagames being the largest share holders.
In both ways, the Kagames are smiling during this Xmas festive period. Airtel will now have telecommunications and Internet provider monopoly in Rwanda. Yes, there is MTN Rwanda, but since the Kagames sold their majority shares to South African investors, MTN Rwanda has been dogged with problems which are mostly caused by the government in order to cut its competitive advantages, that it previously enjoyed when the Kagames where the majority shareholders.
For example, this May, Rwanda’s telecom industry regulator fined MTN Rwanda, 7 billion francs ($8.5 million) for running its IT services outside the country in breach of its licence. This regulatory breach was actually approved by the Kagames when they still had shares in this company, the practice was allowed since MTN first established its operations in Rwanda as means of minimising operational costs, few months after the Kagames selling their shares, MTN was hit with hefty fine for breaching a regulatory rule.
We have to remember how the Kagames chewed millions of dollars from Lap Green Networks in what is known as the Rwandatel deal. Lap Green Networks is a Libyan company that was owned and still owned by the Gaddafi family.
Welcome to the land of the Mafia, where the Kagames and their crystal venture consortium control big and small business transactions in their Kingdom.
Rpf Gakwerere
