Zambia Posts and Telecommunications Corporation (PTC) former Managing Director Swatulani Munthali has died.
Mr Munthali, 74, died early morning on Saturday after an illness, and leaves behind wife, Victoria, five children and grandchildren.
Funeral is being held at Plot 94, 7th Street, Chudleigh and Burial will be on Tuesday, May 22 at Leopards Hill Memorial Park after church service at New Apostolic Church, Central Congregation, Longacres Lusaka.
Mr Munthali was Director of Viswa Productions, a video production company specialising in the production of documentary films and advertisements.
He was Vice President in the ITM Group of Companies responsible for development of telecommunications. The group included the Meridien Bank BAIO.
As Managing Director PTC (now Zampost and Zamtel), he spearheaded the upgrading of the telecommunications infrastructure and extension of the network to most of the districts in Zambia. This coincided with the introduction of a fleet of passenger luxury buses by the corporation.
Mr Munthali also served on the the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) Board, the Tropical Diseases Research Center (TDRC) in Ndola, and the Zamnet Board, the first internet provider in Zambia.
A graduate of University of Maine, United States, Mr Munthali also specialised in satellite communications at British Telecoms in the United Kingdom.
He was part of the second contingent of students sent abroad by the Zambian Government for training under a special USA
government scholarship in 1965 and graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering.
Issued by Isaac Chipampe
(Brother-in-law)
Rest in peace Papa. Your contributions to the growth of the telecommunications industry in Zambia will forever be cherished. PTC flourished during your tenure as Managing Director.
he was a rare breed with his management skills,i enjoyed working in that famous COMPANY back then and it’s sad to lose this man at this critical moment for this country which needed his contributions. SAD that the people managing our ECONOMY do not value or didn’t bother to utilise the expertise that he had. GO WELL SIR we enjoyed working under your leadership.
@stanleymwenya, I can’t agree more.
Stanley Mwenya: Watson Swatulani Munthali left PTC of his own free will to join the Chibote/ITM Group during KK’s time in State House. He left to pursue other interests and you cannot stop a person working for you if he is no longer interested. Yes, PTC was doing well during his time as a state monopoly but it was very difficult to get a residential phone line as customers used to wait for months and months on end, even years in some cases. I knew late Munthali, he was a good man.
My former boss and mentor when I worked in Ndola at Posts and Telecommunications Corporation ( PTC ) as Projects Engineer and Regional Manager in the 1980s. A trully great engineer and manager. May his Soul Rest in Peace, Tusheni mu Chibote cha Mfumu, Robala ka Kagiso Modala, Hamba Kahle ! ! – Engineer Charles Chongo – BScEEE, MEIZ a POTECO Stalwart in Ndola ! !
Sad to hear. Condolences to the family and to Zambia.
RIP ba Munthali, PTC was a real company, it really helped push Zambia ahead in the area of telecommunications. I recall in the mid 80s Zambia had more homes with telephones than even Zimbabwe, though Zimbabwe was a more developed nation. PTC really showed what we Zambia could achieve with great leadership and hardwork.
The young chaps of today don’t know about PTC they only know Zamtel and Zampost which is sad.
Condolences to Themba Munthali and family.