Zamtel

Zambia Telecommunications Company Limited
State-owned enterprise
Industry Telecommunications
Founded 1994
Headquarters Lusaka
Key people
Mupanga Mwanakatwe
CEO
Products Telecommuncations services
Internet services
Landline services
Cellularphone services
Revenue ~ Approximately K 400 Billion Annually
Number of employees
~ Approximately 750
Website Homepage

Zamtel, whose official name is Zambia Telecommunications Company Limited, is a government-owned telecommunication service provider in Zambia. Zamtel is one of three mobile phone networks in the country; the others are Airtel and MTN.[1]

History

The first telephone exchange was installed in Livingstone, as part of the General Post Office (GPO).[2] In 1975, the GPO transformed into the Zambian Post and Telecommunication Corporation (PTC).[3]

In July 1994 the government of Zambia passed a Telecommunications Act that led to the splitting up of the Post and Telecommunications Corporation into two separate companies: the Zambia Postal Services Corporation (Zampost), and the Zambia Telecommunications Company (Zamtel). The Company falls under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Transport, Works, Supply and Communications of Zambia.[3]

In 2010, the Zambian government, under the Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD) President, Rupiah Banda, sold 75% of the Zamtel to the Libyan company, LAP Green Networks. The government claimed it had done so in order to keep Zamtel from shutting down after plans to recapitalize it had failed. This was a contentious move however, as some critics claimed the company was still economically viable.[4] The 2011 Zambian national election saw the incumbent MMD party replaced by the opposition Patriotic Front (PF). The newly elected government, under President Michael Sata, set out an inquiry into the sale of Zamtel because they believed it was sold fraudulently by the previous government. The inquiry produced a report that showed irregularities in the manner in which Zamtel was sold, alleging that LAP Green and RP Capitals, which was appointed as financial advisor, bribed senior Zambian government officials; an allegation that both LAP Green and RP Capitals denied.[5] As a result of the findings, President Michael Sata ordered a reversal of the $257 million deal and the government of Zambia seized control of Zamtel.[6]

In 2013, LAP Green sued the government of Zambia in a British court in order to reclaim ownership of Zamtel. The Zambian government agreed that it would compensate LAP Green for its investments, but it would not let ownership of the company be transferred back to the Libyan operator.[7][8]

Location

The head office of the company is located in Zamtel House, at the corner of Chilubi Road and Church Road, in the Zambian capital city of Lusaka.[9] The coordinates of Zamtel House are 15°24'57.0"S, 28°17'44.0"E (Latitude:-15.415828; Longitude:28.295550).[10]

Services

Services offered by the company include the following:[11]

Corporate governance

Mupanga Mwanakatwe PhD, an electronics engineer serves as the Chairman and CEO of the company. He is assisted by seven other senior managers in running the company.However, Being Chair and CEO has inherent Corporate Governance issues (Corporate Governance UK Code)[12]

References

  1. TechTrends Staff (14 January 2014). "Data Bundle Comparisons of Airtel, MTN and Zamtel". Lusaka: Techtrends.co.zm. Retrieved 9 September 2016.
  2. Ebizguides.com (2006). "The History of Zambia Telecommunications Company Limited (ZAMTEL)". Ebizguides.com. Retrieved 9 September 2016.
  3. 1 2 Zamtel (9 September 2016). "The History of Zamtel". Lusaka: Zamtel. Retrieved 9 September 2016.
  4. Malakata, Michael (12 January 2012). "Zambian government reverses sale of Zamtel to Libya's Lap Green". London: Pcadvisor.co.uk. Retrieved 9 September 2016.
  5. Malakata, Michael (4 December 2014). "Zambia pays loan for Libya's Lap Green, but Zamtel case continues". San Francisco, California, USA: Pcworld.com. Retrieved 9 September 2016.
  6. BBC News (24 January 2012). "Zambia: President Sata reverses Libyan Zamtel sale". London: British Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 9 September 2016.
  7. BAAC News (5 April 2013). "Zambia: UK to host Lap Green Networks' Zambia lawsuit". London: Balancingact-Africa.com (BAAC): Issue Number 649. Retrieved 9 September 2016.
  8. Business News (30 July 2015). "Zamtel, Lap Green Networks saga deepens". Lusaka: Lusaka Voice. Retrieved 9 September 2016.
  9. Zamtel (9 September 2016). "Zamtel: Get In Touch With Our Company". Lusaka: Zambia Telecommunications Company Limited (Zamtel). Retrieved 9 September 2016.
  10. Google (9 September 2016). "Location of the Headquarters of Zambia Telecommunications Company Limited (Zamtel)" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 9 September 2016.
  11. Zamtel (9 September 2016). "Services Offered by Zamtel". Lusaka: Zambia Telecommunications Company Limited (Zamtel). Retrieved 9 September 2016.
  12. Zamtel. "Zamtel Management: Meet The Team". Lusaka: Zambia Telecommunications Company Limited (Zamtel). Retrieved 9 September 2016.

Coordinates: 15°24′57″S 28°17′44″E / 15.41583°S 28.29556°E / -15.41583; 28.29556

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