Grapevine

MTN confident of fair resolution of marketing partner dispute

MTN Uganda has indicated that whereas it remains neutral and fully supports the appropriate legal and internal processes pursued in the ongoing dispute between M&C Saatchi and CTA Space over its local marketing partner contract, it is confident that a fair resolution will be reached.

In a statement signed by Ms Rhona Arinaitwe, the MTN senior manager communications and stakeholder management, the telecom said M&C Saatchi, which was in April appointed the MTN Group marketing partner “is handling the matter, and MTN trusts they will resolve it appropriately”.

“MTN remains neutral and fully supports the appropriate legal and internal process, confident that a fair resolution will be reached,” the statement, emailed to Monitor, reads in part noting that MTN was aware that CTA had engaged legal counsel and reported the issue as a procurement irregularity through MTN Group’s whistleblower system, a process the telecom respects and expects any necessary investigation to be conducted thoroughly.

In April, MTN Group appointed M&C Saatchi Abel as its new marketing partner across all operating companies, effective January 25, 2025.

Before the appointment, M&C Saatchi had held preliminary discussions with CTA, before it signed a memorandum of understanding in September 2023, in which it confirmed it as its local marketing agency affiliate in Uganda that would handle the MTN account.