By An Executive Editor

Massmart, the owner of Game retail store in Uganda has announced a review of its Game store portfolio in East and West Africa where it was exploring the idea that store performance might improve under the management of investors and entrepreneurs with a better understanding of local market conditions.

As a result, Massmart, together with the Game management team, initiated a process over a 12-month period to investigate, as a preferred option, the opportunity to sell our store in Uganda to local investors.

Unfortunately, Neville Hatfield – Vice President of Merchandize – Game, says “this initiative has not yielded meaningful results.”

“One possible way forward is now to consider closing our Game store in Uganda and we have therefore initiated potential store closure consultations with our staff members in the potentially affected stores,” Hatfield adds in a letter Tuesday to partners.

According to Hatfield, from the very beginning of the process to explore alternative options for “our store in Uganda we have been firmly committed, regardless of the decision taken, to honour our obligations to our staff members, customers and business partners, and we would like to assure you that this remains the case.”

Hatfield adds: “Our present focus is to ensure a transparent consultation process with our staff members and their representatives, after which we will update you about the agreed next steps.”

Game tells partners that it is difficult to anticipate the timing of the consultation process, “but please be assured that we will revert to you as soon as we have collective clarity on the way forward.”