Republican President Rupiah Banda says government is determined to ensure that the Information Communications Technology (ICT) sector performs well.
Mr. Banda said the contribution of the ICT sector to the national treasury has continued to grow over the years.
He said this in a speech read for him by Communications and Transport Minister Geoffrey Lungwangwa when he officially launched the new US$ 8 million Zain Zambia building in Lusaka today.
The President said because of the ICT’s growth, government has developed a futuristic policy for the sector.
He said the sector has embarked on the development of an appropriate legal and regulatory framework.
Mr. Banda said parliament is currently discussing three ICT’s bills, namely the Electronic Communications Bill, the Transactions Bill and the Postal Services Bill.
He said the bills are designed to align the Zambian ICT sector with the regional, continental and global best practices.
He said the ICT sector has continued to remain resilient to the international financial shocks.
Meanwhile, Mr. Banda has said government will continue to engage the private sector in the development of the ICT sector in the country.
The President further said government appreciates the investment made by the private sector, which is lresulting in the growth of the national treasury through tax and non-tax contributions.
He said these are some of the benefits the government is realizing from increased investment in the country.
President Banda also urged Zain Zambia not to down-size on its labour force, as that would negatively affect some of the company’s employees but instead to put in place measures that could make Zain’s operations more vibrant in the country.
He encouraged the Zain shareholders to focus on Zambia as the country is now among the top investment destinations in Africa.
Speaking earlier, Zain Zambia Managing Director David Holiday said Zain is determined to bring in innovative products and services that would help create a healthy business environment to make Zambia a more attractive investment destination.
Mr. Holiday further commended the government for granting Zain a license to operate in Zambia, through the Communications Authority of Zambia (CAZ).
ZANIS
That is not the JOB of the president.Launch of the new building? Akantembe ati building.
If you think ICT is so important why are selling Zamtel? Ifimyona
If you know ICT is so important why are selling Zamtel? Ifimyona
zoona mudala ba buze!
zoona, mudaala it is true. the old man is speaking with a forked tongue.
#1-3. Do you really want an swer to your questions or are you just politicking like your fellow PF cadres with their chief thug SATAN and their newly converted ICHILEMA?
Anyway since your boss is a Grade 2, here is some free adult education you can pass over to him. This Zamtel issue is a no brainer. ZAMTEL has not been delivering ICT value to the Zambia public in the way it should have been due to lack of capital/opereational issues. Look at the ICT market share in Zambia. Most of it is driven by the private sector and ZAMTEL today is a small player when it comes to ICT. Ask anybody who uses ICT in Zambia and they in minority those that use Zamtel. Privatization will make Zamtel deliver true ICT value to Zambia
We know that we have the freedom to express ourselves but insults should not be our freedom of expression. Even if you do not agree with the person, for God’s sake, please do not insult.
Iwe Bootlicker! Mention one company that was privitized since 1991 that is doing well! You must be lickin on RB’s coolade coz any educated person knows how this will end.
#8 -Sata was part of the govt that privatised all the companies since 1991
And your point being??
#6. You are very blank about national security. Do you know what kind of information will be in the hands of those foreign investors? This country will have no secrets at all. In short the gvt is itself breaching national security. How many countries do you know that have sold telecommunications infrastructure to foreign investors-especially the western countries? Zambia has absolutely become a laughing stoke just because of dunderheads like you. Even Prof. Nkandu Luwo, is against it as she know the security implications which you appear tobe blank about.
cntd frm #11.
Professor Nkandu Luwo, even advises the gvt to import management team from abroad to save our security. She said the problem with Zamtel isn’t just about finance alone but management, too. Please correct me if what am writing is not what she said as am not quoting her exact words. I believe her. No sane gvt can sell the county’s telecoms infrastructure.
#9. So, RB should also privatise even sensitive infrastructure such as the telecoms by 75%? Amano ubuce.
RB stop playing games, how could you still be opening utuntemba in this day and age
If this RB wins in 2011 then its either wer FOOLS or VJ would have someting to do with it
Bet VJ will not be there in 2011 anywhere. We need forward thinking Individuals. No wonder despite RB being related to KK in a way was consistently being fired. They OLD SACK is VERY DULL. Corrupt as he is, he thinks he can make money out of Zamtel
You- MMD Chief Bootlicker says:
You are a real bootlicker! To me a bootlicker – someone who who behaves as if he had no self-respect or in short: apple polisher, fawner, groveler, groveller, truckler, ass-kisser, crawler, sycophant, toady, lackey – a person who tries to please someone in order to gain a personal advantage.
Are you sure that you know the economics as you seem to be a pretender at politics? For your information, Zamtel must be 8 times bigger than both (Zain and MTN put together)! The size, financials, area and employees numbers are completely comparable! But that is not the problem- The problem is management! We have the wrong starting the top:
Read incomparable in 2nd last line!
Mr MMD Bootilicker. It is good that you acknowledge that Zamtel is a small player in ICT,well that is despite its infrastructure.Why do you think Zamtel will be more effective and deliver if it is privatized.The answer is innovation….We don’t need to privatize Zamtel all we need are competent and well qualified MDs and innovative people to run the company, not these redundant mass of human prototype.In Kabwe the mine was bought by the ex managers who adivsed govt that there was no ore, the s same guys are busy exporting assorted mineral ore to China at the expense of poor Zambians.it seems we have not realize the vital row IT plays in todays social & economical development.Lets sell everything it seems we have so much faith in foreign investors,
The Zambian Govt does not support local inverstors especially if you are not MMD.ZRA will be there to Finnish your business with this TAX and that TAX B4 you know it your company is closed.We cant all to be MMD to survive in Zambia,if you disgaree on principal the cadres are on you what kind of a country are we running.Ifyo na baKolwe bayambila ukumisundila…Our fore fathers fought for our political independence for the colonial.Now you want us be fighting for our freedom from you .Zambia and its wealth is for everyone of us not few individuals.The sell of Zamtel is final says who?Ok sell the company and we share the money.
#18 Nkani…, you are spot-on. But, do know what happened to Kapiri Glass Factory. It has been sabotaged by the so called foreign investors-South Africans. After buying it, a few days the guys just let molten glass harden in the plant machinery and that was all. The chaps ran away. Do you know what that means? The whole plant is useless. You need completely new machinery to restart its life and throwing away the previous plant. I was shocked when I visited Zambia and we were on a bus with my friend. Out of curiocity I point to the factory and said to my friend, “I am sure this factory is making a lot of money considering the booming construction industry”.
cntd frm#19… My friend really busted out laughing. I was irritated and went on to say, “Yeh! cos am pretty sure they have diversified into structural glass which is on high demand in the construction industry”. I finally asked me to stop jokes and went on to say, “utunenu twalicenjela, the SA gvt just saw that Kapiri Glass will competing with us, guys here’s the money. Go, buy it and sabotage it. Efyo baishila after bashya icilibwe muli machine baingila na pacani…”. To cut the story short, thats what can happen to Zamtel but on a serious level. Can you imagine all military and other ministries info intercepted and passed on to a wrong person coz grz has no control over Zamtel-Zamtel even being used for Al kaedo activities. RB, go on sell it!
Another ceremony, wow, well done RB. Is Banda counting how many ceremonies he has attended since he got that ceremonial position of his? Who is the President anyways since this guy is a ceremonial one?
ZAMTEL needs to be sold. Its needs recapitalization and needs better experts. If money was around, Cell-Z should have become more popular that Zain, we need definitely to change the face of this company.
The pipo runing GRZ have realised how profitable this ICT sector is hence their greediness to privatize Zamtel at all costs. Political interferance from RB GRZ why order a private firm not to down size its manpower according to the need of its operations. Zain is here firstly to do business profitably that is why they invested much in modern equipment. Alredy the sector has made alot of pipo have their own tuntembas and many are surviving on that. STOP POLITICAL INTEREFENCE IN PRIVATE FIRMS AS LONG AS THEY OPERATE WITHIN THE CONFINES OF LAW. With Zamtel on the chopping board I wonder how Bwanas will fon mobiling MTN & ZAIN its cash for their services.
Zambia is like a country with no educated people. There is no country in the world that depended on foreigners 100%. Are the closures of some mines last year not a big lesson to us ??? Awe bane ine nafilwa …..a country were almost all citizs are poor .. Awe bane let us change. God has given us very good resouces which these european countries do not have but it so surprising that we are so poor ??? DO YOU KNOW THAT YOU ARE A LAUGHING STOCK ???…….you mean as Zambians we cant run ZMTEL?? Imwe fi MMD give ZMTEL to Zambians and stop getting money from it , you will see how it will over run Zain and MTN. MWEFIBANTU IMWE KANSHI MWAPANGWA SHANI????