Kirusa Launches Celeb Connect And Sports Connect In Rwanda In Partnership With MTN

Connects MTN Rwanda users with their favorite celebrities and sports

New Providence, NJ and Kigali, Rwanda, Monday 23rd June, 2014: Kirusa, the leader in voice messaging and social media mobile apps in emerging markets, today announced the launch of its popular services, Celeb Connect and Sports Connect on MTN Rwanda network. The Celeb Connect service will enable fans to reach out and connect with their favorite celebs, while the Sports Connect service will enable MTN subscribers to get updates about their favorite soccer clubs and teams.

Using Celeb Connect, celebrities share their thoughts and emotions in their own voice with their fans. Participating stars can call a number, or use smartphones to leave messages. These messages are then delivered immediately to fans, which creates an almost “Voice Twitter” experience. MTN subscribers can see messages, call, and listen to what’s happening over the phone, or on the web at vobolo.com, and can share with their friends on Facebook and Twitter, creating an engaging social media experience.  Further, the fans get an opportunity to speak and engage with the celebrities in multiple ways on-line and off-line.

Sports Connect service will enable MTN Rwanda subscribers to receive daily soccer updates such as team news, pre and post-match analysis and quotes of team managers as well as players. The bulletins are available in English and French languages.

These services are available across Rwanda, to all MTN Rwanda subscribers, and on both smartphones and feature phones. Movie actors and actresses, singers, song writers, and models notch up the glamour quotient of the Celeb Connect service in Rwanda.  Participating stars include Lil G (Hip-Hop star), Tijarat(Radio & TV Presenter), and Jay Polly(Rapper).  The Sport Connect service, offered in partnership with goal.com, includes frequent updates about various European clubs, such as Barcelona, Manchester United, and Chelsea, and about various African national teams in Brazil.

Speaking on the launch, Yvonne Manzi Makolo, CMO of MTN Rwanda, said, “We are delighted to launch these compelling services from Kirusa. It is exciting to directly connect with one’s favorite celebrity every day from the comfort of one’s mobile phone. Our subscribers will also be thrilled to get regular updates about their favorite football teams just as the World Cup fever is gripping the country”.

Elated, Jay Polly, Hip-Hop Star, expressed his views on the launch, “Celeb Connect is a unique way for us to connect with our fans. We can now interact with our fans amicably without media intrusion and third party involvement. Authenticity is also maintained with Celeb Connect. We do not need to fret about fake accounts now”.

Barinderpal Singh Mumick, VP, Operations, Kirusa, added, “We all have, at one time or another tried to reach out and speak to our favorite celebrities.  Celeb Connect is a fantastic platform for fulfilling a common man’s dream to stay connected with their cherished celebrities”.

About MTN Rwanda

MTN Rwanda (MTN RWANDACELL Ltd) has been in operation since 1998 with over 3.5 million subscribers and still growing. In its vision of leading the delivery of a bold, new, digital world to our customers, the company offers new and innovative packages and services and keeps up with the latest trends in communications to satisfy its customers.

For more information, visit: http://www.mtn.co.rw

About Kirusa

Kirusa is the leader in voice messaging and social media mobile apps that enable mobile subscribers to “Have a Voice!” and share their stories with their family and friends across the globe.  Kirusa’s solutions include InstaVoice®, Celeb Connect™ and Sports Connect™ apps, which are offered in partnership with more than thirty-five mobile carriers in Africa, India, LatAm, and Middle East, as well as via the app stores, and are used monthly by over 80 million mobile users in four continents.  Kirusa solutions are built on its patented technology, and its highly reliable and scalable multimodal and cloud platforms, which process over one billion events a month. Kirusa has been recognized as one of top 20 most promising technology companies by Silicon India, and one of top 25 emerging technology companies by Smart Techie magazine. Headquartered in New Jersey and led by an experienced team of wireless telecom executives and technologists, Kirusa has offices in four continents. InstaVoice is a registered trademark of Kirusa, Inc.

For more information, visit: www.kirusa.com

For further inquiries, please contact

For Kirusa

Alchemy Corporate Communications
Anju Makin
Skype No: +1(973) 536-2652
E-mail：This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

For MTN Rwanda

MTN PR Desk
Teta Mpyisi

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.