Days After Africell Telecom Announced Exiting Uganda, It has Blocked Its Customers from Withdrawing Their Monies Remaining in Mobile Money Accounts.

 Just days after announcing a planned exit from the market next month, telecom operator Africell is not allowing customers with mobile money balances to make cash withdrawals.

“You cannot withdraw money from your account until October 7 when we have completed the reconciliation of our accounts. We will make a call to customers to provide their alternative MTN or Airtel lines, on which we will move their balances,” an officer at the Africell Service Centre told New Vision on Wednesday.

When contacted on phone, a customer care representative confirmed that the information was the true position of the company.

Customers can only use their mobile money balances for purchase of airtime and selected electronic purchases, the officials explained.

In a communication written to its employees, Africell announced it would close shop in Uganda on October 7.

This, they said, is premised on a detailed assessment that was conducted over the past several months, on the future of the telecom company in Uganda.

“Africell strives to be a leader not only in terms of mobile services but also in terms of community impact and the digitally-led transformation of society. In Uganda, a country with a mature and competitive telecoms sector, we believe that the opportunity to achieve this impact is increasingly limited.

“We have therefore taken the difficult decision to permanently end Africell UG’s operations in Uganda,” management stated.