A political activist Stanford Lizu has praised the Zambia Information Communication and Technology Authority (ZICTA) for instituting criminal proceedings against the three mobile phone service providers in the country.
Mr Lizu who is also a consultant, said the decision taken by ZICTA is long overdue as the three mobile providers have been offering sub standard services to their subscribers for a long time now.
He told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that Zambians expect good services from these service providers.
Mr Lizu however, said ZICTA should have first of all investigated why the three mobile providers have been offering substandard services to their subscribers as opposed to taking a legal redress.
He also stated that it is sad that ZICTA has become a complainant in a case of these three mobile providers instead of being the regulator, adding that the subscribers themselves would have been the ones suing the mobile providers.
Mr Lizu said the action by ZICTA indicates beyond doubt that the service providers have failed lamentably to perform a better job for the Zambian people.
He hinted that it could be that the three mobile providers acquired obsolete and substandard machines in the nation, hence the reason why their services are pathetic.
The political analyst also noted that government should not condone at all cost investors offering inferior services to the Zambian people.
Mr Lizu who cited South-Africa and Nigeria as among other nations where network is good, said communication is paramount in any prosperous nation.
ZICTA has instituted criminal proceedings against the three mobile phone service providers namely Airtel, MTN Zambia and ZAMTEL for failure to meet minimum standards of quality of service.
ZICTA also has resolved to take remedial measures relating to enforcement of quality of service in order to protect public interest in pursuant of the information and Communication Technologies Act No. 15 of 2009.
Meanwhile, Mr Lizu has called on government through the Ministry of Justice to give the Technical Committee drafting the republican constitution another one month in order for them to complete its works.
Mr Lizu told ZANIS that although he does not understand the reason why the Technical Committee drafting an important document failed to wind work within the stipulated time, the team should be given another month so that they do not make an accuse of limited time for giving the Zambian people a substandard piece of document adding that no additional funds should be given to them at this particular time.
He appealed to Justice Minister Winter Kabimba to reconsider his decision as being advocated by the church and other non-governmental organizations on giving the Technical Committee another month to completely finish its job.
ZANIS
Its like ZICTA is being pushed to punish these providers. where is consumer protection authority. its not the job of the ZICTA to complain but the consumers themselves. Is ZICTA now assuming the role of Consumer Protectors, since when. I smell a rat – someone is definitely behind this funny action!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
KAMIMBA WONT HAVE THE DRAFT CONSTITUTION UNTIL 31/07/2013. LET HIM CONTINUE TAKING WHAT HE TAKES DAILY. WHEN WE SAY 31/07/13 WE MEAN IT. HAS EVER WRITTEN ANY DOCUMENT, JUST MAKE A CALL AND PUT IN DEADLINES NO NO.