The Zambia Consumers Association (ZACA) has expressed disappointment at the mobile telecommunication company, MTN Zambia’s decisions to deduct some money for every recharge of credit that its clients buy to donate to the Zambia national soccer team for winning the just ended 2012 African Cup of Nations co-hosted by Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.
ZACA Executive Director Muyunda Ililonga said it was wrong for MTN to spend customers’ money without their consent adding that the move was against the fundamental consumer rights.
Mr. Ililonga said MTN was a big company that should use its profits to donate to the team instead of forcing poor customers to donate the little money they have without their prior approval.
He told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that if MTN wishes to donate to the national team for making the country proud by lifting the African Cup, the company should emulate First Quantum Minerals (FQM) who donated money to the team from the profits it makes as part of their social corporate responsibility.
[pullquote]If MTN wishes to donate to the national team for making the country proud by lifting the African Cup, the company should emulate First Quantum Minerals (FQM) who donated money to the team from the profits it makes as part of their social corporate responsibility.[/pullquote]
He urged MTN to stop the promotion forthwith, adding that the consumer body will investigate the matter and ensure that the mobile telecommunication company ceases to take advantage of the poor consumers.
Mr. Ililonga however urged customers who have no problem with the promotion to continue using the network provider but advised those who feel otherwise should switch to other networks.
Telecommunication mobile company MTN is currently running a promotion aimed at raising funds for the Chipolopolo by deducting a certain amount of money from every mobile top up credit which consumers buy as a way of appreciating the national football team for winning the continental soccer title.
ZANIS
These are ideas from Muchinga Escarpment. Stop it Kolwestan please.
Stop it now MTN. No more mokey tricks from Muchinga
I have not noticed this scum. It may/should be voluntary as i may enlist. My fear is that Kalu will end up with more (stollen)money in his pockets!
This is one of those matters that has to be investigated to the fullest, Like the Bob Sichinga MOney printing accusations. I am watching and noting what you patriots are going to do about it. If we had the ingenuity we do with pick-up lines in all the other aspects of our lives, we would not fall this gullible to monkey tricks like this… I am switching to Cooperative Communications.
MTN is a big company and a big brand and they have worked hard to be where they are.
If what is being reported here is indeed true, then this is certainly not only Despicable, but utterly diabolical. MTN should refund those customers their money and double the amount they deducted from customers and donate to the national team as a restitution measure .
It is this kind of behavior that make Zambians hate you South African companies-always wanting to extract money from the poor at all cost. Why not do what FQM has done?
Shame indeed.
Dear Bootlicker
Ever since MMD died, you have showed maturity and i must say it is a joy to read some of you postings…
You were sooooooooo bloody subjective and boring…nice to see that you have reconnected to your senses…welcome back mate! Bootlicker objectivity!
I think Bootlicker has always been objective. Problem is when some people have a different opinion, they fail to see the objectivity from another persons perspective.
But where is ZICTA? This should not be allowed, its theft! MTN must be penalised for this. Why should they drag customers into their programes without consent?
What are you talking? I recharge every day and my credit “is as I top up” only I think I am charged tiwce as much, 5 pin only calls for 2-3minutes ….but I cant be surprised MTN has alot of irritating silly approaches to making money….imagine where you are continuously bombarded with stupid, childish SMSs to join a particularly *****ic “love” shit. In fact, am moving on to our own shortly…CellZ for life manje che mwe!
firstly if mtn cannot afford to pay any homage to the chipolopolo it shudnt. No pun intended but such a big multinational company shudnt be inconvenience its customers. Ba mtn ni boasting na njala. I also praise the chipolopolo 4 a job well done but havent they gotten enough money already. There are sum opharnages that would realy need that money.
Well spoken muchinga dweller.It would make much more sense if MTN used its facilities to raise such funds to donate for example to MATERO SOCIAL WELFARE that looks after the aged or indeed any needy charitable organisations taking care of vulnerable.To collect money from people, no matter how little, without their approval is disrespectful.
I agree!
:((awe bane ba MTN u haven’t notified us kaili?how do u just do such a thing?
Dont comment on issues you do not understand. Certainly this is poor comment from mr illonga without facts. Do you think a company as big as MTN can do that? get your facts right and do not mislead the masses. MTN is giving ZMK 5,000 from sales of Phones, not from its customer recharges. Simple and plain. it is giving from its profits!!
yes indeed where is ZICTA and ba LT comfirm this allegation with both MTN &ZICTA.this is bullshit journalism,i also happen to be a client for this mobile company and if its true stop the ROT.after all these mtn chaps ve a fake sponsorship deal with FAZ &its only one kalu that knows its contents as all stake holders are in the dark.
no wonder the network suddenly seems to be expensive from being the most prefered. But we Zambians never seem to notice………..
The reference by the South African Sunday times sport reporter, Kgomotso Mokoena (19 February
>> 2012), to the Zambian International and Free State Stars Goalkeeper
>> Kenndy Mweene as “gorilla-sized goalkeeper” left a very bitter and
>> sour taste in my mouth after reading of what was supposed to be an
>> excellent article about the attitude of national football players in
>> Zambian and South Africa. This reference was both disrespectful, rude
>> and outright insulting to both the player and the readers of Sunday times your
>> newspaper. I would therefore like the Zambian high commission and all Zambians to demand an apology from the reporter and the Sunday times. Just because they did not qualify and are sliding on FIFA ranking does not give the right to insult us.
Well that was a very bad remark. they need to apologise to our nation, and the goalkeeper individually. If they feel bad that we are the champions et them try to win it next year
Sounds like Mokoena is a bigger gorilla himself than one would have imagined. Have the Boers brutalised these bleks so much that they have no pride in their own kith and kin?
I do not believe this. I think they will give an option if you can subscribe to a thing like that. May be other competitors are trying to destroy the competition by making others look bad.
This is complete nonsense. LT and ZACA need to get their facts straight before you publish and comment (respectively) on things that they dont even understand and end up misleading members of the public. MTN has been the major sponsor of the team and has never asked any customer to donate in anyway. The promotion that is being run is asking customers to buy one ZTE phone for 60pin and get another one free “buy one get one free” and K5000 from every sale is donated to the national team BY MTN not by the customers. i dare any person on the MTN network to come out in the open and let it be known how much of their airtime was deducted for this and on what date.
thanks for the clarification
Ililonga maybe is lying.I’m with MTN since i came back from Europe.MTN is the best telecom company in Zambia.This chap is sponsored by Airtel.MTN has pumped a lot of money in Zambian soccer.If u buy 10000 talk time MTN always gives bonus.Yesteday i bought talk time for k150,000 and MTN gave me 85,000 free money.This guy Ililonga may belong to kamanga group.No company can compete with MTN in zambia in terms of sponsorship of soccer so far.Crazy chap is used by Airtel.We got Vuvuzela for free when zambia was playing Ivory Coast plus T shirts.Well,Maybe it’s true to some people.But i don’t agree with illilonga.
where is the consumer affairs in Zambia? MTN should be penalized? You can’t just deduct people’s talk time money without their consent.
I think there is some miss-communication here as it just sounds too unbelievable that MTN could stoop that low and risk its reputation!
#16 I wonder where in Zambia you are posting from coz your flag says otherwise.
so does yours
That,s tantamount to day light robbery. How can MTN with such a reputation honesty do that to its poor and struggling clientele. We demand that they return our money back and make a public apology to that effect.
This is nonsense, first they retrench workers then outsource them. No minister of labour to hundle this.
#19, flags indicate which carrier or ISP you are using. If it is routing through Tanzania, then your flag will say Tanzania. not that you are in TZ.
I subscribe to Airtel, MTN and Zamtel and am very confortable with all of them. Am not aware of what Mr Ililonga iz talking about, but I do hope it’s just a miks-up somewhere.
@Moscow you are just a snob. All you are saying is how much talk time you can afford and that you where in Europe recently. Soccer may have the biggest following but is by no means the only sport in the country that needs sponsorship!
I wonder what the CEO and the chairman of Mtn have to say about this?
Bawss, well explained.
This is complete nonsense. LT and ZACA need to get their facts straight before you publish and comment (respectively) on things that they dont even understand and end up misleading members of the public. MTN has been the major sponsor of the team and has never asked any customer to donate in anyway. The promotion that is being run is asking customers to buy one ZTE phone for 60pin and get another one free “buy one get one free” and K5000 from every sale is donated to the national team BY MTN not by the customers. i dare any person on the MTN network to come out in the open and let it be known how much of their airtime was deducted for this and on what date.
MTN please stop!!
Silly thoughts and comments by those who think MTN would ask Customers to donate money for the Chipolopolo… check your balances and convince me MTN deducted money from your top-ups. some of you do not even know why you are commenting coz you know nothing! Kwalolo mwela eko mulola!
MTN do not have an obligation to provide additional funds to the players. MTN as a group sponsored the whole tournament, they sponsor all Africa cuos and the 2010 World Cup, why must they be scathed now? Most people issuing such remarks cannot afford airtime and are looking for whom to blame, work hard and shut up!
Unless investors again
useless investor again
#5 MMD Chief Bootlicker, Its good to see you back. At least its BREVITY from your side to continue on the blog. At least I forewarned you of MMD loss way before we voted! Did you even come to vote anyway? Has PF spared you in the USA Embassy?
MTN Don’t be stupid.
bullshit Journalism**==:-&[-x:-@. am an MTN subscriber and that shit u r talking about is nothing but shit. you need to do your research before publishing negative stories. i have however noticed that Airtel has been getting positive publicity on your site. Are they the ones paying your bills and hence the need to slander their main competitor?
Why donate more money to dodgy characters like Kalu & FAZ, encourage them to invest in Sport infrastructure instead, handouts are cheap for these companies, that’s the reason why likes of FQM donate your money to you so you can watch football..ask them to invest in a football team!!
Wake up!!!
I have a feeling that these guys got facts wrong. MTN may have likely said they will donate a certain amount of every top up card to the Chipolopolo Boys. Not that they will deduct the money from customers. The move does not affect the customers. It is a marketing tool which will see many Zambians appreciating the company and apply for their services because the company is routing part of their proceeds to Chipolopolo Boys. In accounting sense, MTN is trying to reduce on corporate tax because the amount will not need be reported as part of profit since it would be deducted from pre profit tax as an expense. Make K2bn profit, less tax = K1.6bn. Give Chipolopolo K400mn. You have K1.2bn as final amount. Make K2bn, give Chipolopolo K400mn = K1.6bn. Less tax K200mn. You have K1.4bn finally.
now that vou have received a good share of positive remarks from your customers, how about forcing kalu to disclose to the nation what is contained in that sponsorship agreement you signed with faz. as stake holders, of course through taxes that we pay, we need to know. otherwise this kind of secrecy between you (mtn) and faz just erodes the confidence that we have/ had in you.
If it is true I am switching to other networks will not recharge my card until the matter is clarified.
maybe number 26 is right.
Only in ZAMBIA would foreign companies take advantage of consumers. Useless? why do suck cheap campaigns? MTN you have failed, just swallow your pride and apologize, Give back the credit to people.
This Ilonga chap is a liar & very dull, this allegations are not true. MTN is geting K5000 from there mobile phone sales & donate to the National team not from talktime top-up, I have not exprienced what this chap is sayn, its all lies obviously sponsored by greedy Airtel to dent MTN’s image.