Kampala, Uganda: Ugandans are reacting with muted celebration following news that French media conglomerate Groupe Canal+ is seeking full ownership of MultiChoice Group Limited, the parent company of MultiChoice Uganda and GOtv Uganda.
According to the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), both MultiChoice Uganda Limited and GOtv Uganda Limited have applied for approval to transfer their licenses after Canal+ moved to acquire the remaining 54.8% shares, adding to the 45.2% stake it already owns.
If approved, Canal+ will secure full control of the pay-TV giant, though local shareholding structures will remain unchanged.
Under Section 39(2)(d) of the Uganda Communications Act, UCC is required to examine the public interest before granting approval for the license transfer, and the regulator has since invited members of the public to submit comments within 14 days of its notice.
For most Ugandan subscribers, however, the development is less about regulation and more about the hope of relief from MultiChoice’s long-criticized services. DSTV and GOtv customers have, for years, decried high subscription rates and stale content, with frequent fee hikes further fueling discontent.
In August 2025, MultiChoice announced yet another increase: Compact packages rose to Shs 120,000, Compact Plus to Shs 180,000, and Premium to Shs 299,000. This placed DSTV among the most expensive pay-TV services in Africa, with Ugandans paying nearly triple what subscribers in other African markets are charged.
Yet despite the costs, viewers complain of recycled movies, repeated series, and outdated programming, with some mocking that DSTV still airs films from as far back as 1962, before Uganda’s independence.
“The prices are outrageous, and the content is old and repetitive. It’s like paying premium rates for ancient archives,” said a frustrated Kampala resident who recently ditched her decoder for streaming services.
The discontent has already pushed many urban households toward affordable home Wi-Fi and streaming platforms, which offer fresher content at a fraction of the cost.
While some subscribers are hopeful Canal+ could reset the market with fairer pricing and modern programming, others remain skeptical, fearing little will change beyond ownership.
Either way, the announcement signals what could be the beginning of the end for MultiChoice’s era in Uganda, one defined by escalating costs, stale movies, and endless reruns.
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