Uganda: Charles Mbire Discusses Doing Business in a Transparent and Above Board Way

Charles Mbire, Chairman of MTN Uganda, talks about the importance of doing business in a transparent and above board way, and explains what are the challenges implied.

“I am the kind of man that is eyes on but hands off in business. I let people manage and I just watch from an angle and ensure that everything is transparent and above board. That is a big difference that I have. Above board means that we operate according to international set rules and standards that are clear and transparent. Operating in some of the most corrupt countries in the world and still walking with your head held high is not easy. But we have learned to train ourselves to be robust and it has worked very well. We have very good, understanding business partners who have been very patient. We have been voted as the most respectable company by the PwC audit for the last five years and we remain as such. The situation is very good. We have credible, reputable partners and we have been together for a long time. I always consider business partnership as a marriage. You may have problems along the way, but you go in together for the long run. As long as you are transparent with each other and trust each other 100%, things will always work out. Our relationships have been very clean, clear, and comfortable”, says Charles Mbire.

“The main challenge for us, as a telecom company, is that we always feel somewhat vilified for being efficient and transparent. We have become the low hanging fruit for the tax authorities and others to poke and harass because we are efficient. We declare everything. Sometimes, it seems like we are not trusted because we are transparent and above board, but we will never change and our intentions are always very clear. There are always skirmishes. The beautiful girl in the village will always be either the prostitute or the witch. There will always be people who are unhappy with success. It is natural. In the end, when you are transparent, you fear nothing. The only two things you can be sure of in this world that will come out in the end are the sun and the truth. If you are on the side of truth, there is nothing to fear. In the end, truth will always come out. We are very confident in this and that is why we walk with our head held high”, he adds.

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