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Zimbabwean owned Econet Global Media is seeking a license from the Uganda Communications Commission to operate satellite television services in the country.
The license application by Kwese Sports comes after it started broadcasting in Kenya in first half of this year. Kwese has already acquired rights to show matches in Spain’s Copa del Rey as well as cricket and rugby events.
By Kudakwashe Pembere
While time waits for no man, Econet’s Kwese Sports applied for the license responding to an advertisement floated by the UCC published in Ugandan media last Friday which called for television license applications.
Strive Masiyiwa trying to spread his wings into Uganda
When announcing the start of the television station last December, Econet executive chairperson Strive Masiyiwa said in a blog: “Kwesé TV would offer exclusive sports and entertainment programming to African markets.”
“Kwesé means everywhere and anywhere,” Musiyiwa said.
The station is largely known for its broadcasts of the American basketball league, the NBA.
Sports lovers pay up to a $90 a month to enjoy the premium bouquet on DStv. But with Kwese TV, viewers only need to buy the set-top box and no monthly fees.
Masiyiwa said they have the technology to offer a quality product. “Our satellite communications business, Liquid Sat, has already built a platform which allows us to deliver what is known as direct television to the home (DTH), in all the countries of sub-Saharan Africa,” he said.
He noted that their fibre optic company, Liquid Fibre, is the largest builder of terrestrial fibre in Africa.
“These are just a few of the assets we’ll deploy in a unique way, never done before in Africa,” he said.
Kwese has already started broadcasting in Zimbabwe via its smartphone application albeit its deal with Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation that collapsed.
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