ZESCO acting managing director, Cyprian Chitundu has said the company’s optic fibre network will not be sold together with Zamtel although the power utility firm is in talks with the telecommucations firm as the anchor customer.
Mr Chitundu said in an interview in Lusaka that Zesco had been in talks with Zamtel as the targeted anchor customer for the optic fibre network but it would not be sold together with the telecommuncations company set for partial privatisation.
He was reacting to the story in yesterday’s edition of The Post alleging that State House was exerting pressure on Zesco for it to have the optic fibre network sold as part of Zamtel assets.
Mr Chitundu said because Zesco did not have the capacity to fully utilise the network, it wanted Zamtel to be the focal customer to maximise the use of the facility.
“We have been in discussion with Zamtel for sometime now because we have common interest in that we are now both in the telecommunication industry. We want to have Zamtel as our anchor customer for the optic fibre network,” he said.
“We have never been under pressure from State House or any other person to have the optic fibre network sold as part of Zamtel assets and that shall not happen,” Mr Chitundu said.
He said technically, it would not be possible for the two organisations not to talk to each because of the way the systems were and there was nothing sinister about the two engaging in talks.
Mr Chitundu said it was sad and unfortunate that such reports were coming up when the sale process for Zamtel was going on.
The Post story alleges that President Rupiah Banda, through his two advisors who included Joseph Jalasi for legal engaged Zesco over the network.
It further says that Mr Jalasi and another presidential advisor as well as Zambia Development Agency chief executive officer, Andrew Chipwende had been on Zesco’s top management over the same issue.
[Times of Zambia]
I hope Bwana MD you are telling the truth, we dont want to hear you changing statements.
Tukamona wat will happen………
Ba Chitundu how do you negotiate with a company whose ownership is in transition i.e about to be sold? Why dont you wait until you know the buyer? Or wait may be you are already negotiating with the buyer ! Very very fishy smell!
Zambians must resist this wholesale culture of selling such an important 21st century communication tool. Within a month or so after Mr R Banda took up residence at plot one I emailed him and among other things suggested to him to install a national fibre optic nextwork/grid and connect to either the west coast or east coast or both to put zambia on themap on high tech communication. SORRY Cyprian if you hope to be comfirmed as MD ZESCO by agreeing to sell off even an inch of this fibreoptic network, you will be joining the league of zambians who have stripped this nation of valuable assets in the name of privatisation.DO NOT DO IT-DO NOT EVEN THINK ABOUT DOING IT.
Small fish is Chitundu. He doesnt know what he is yapping about. Info is always smuggled out of GRZ and that’s how that story came up. Not every one at State House is happy with the RB Circus Co. sothey will always tell us.
We shall wait and see as this Government is so stone headed that they’ll want to go on with their plans despite the dubious nature.after Zamtel, Zesco is next, selling 95% of the shares to some partner hand picked by one HB
I SEE SOMEONE IS ABOUT TO BE FIRED!
That story in yesterday’s Post made sad reading indeed. It is really difficult to comprehend what the rationale would be to sell the ZESCO fibre component even before we evaluate ZESCO’s utilisation of the same. One would have thought we could instil competition by having competing entities so that we do not go the monopolistic way of Chilnaga Cement where we have to dance to Lafarge in terms price hikes and engineered shortages.
I still think that ZESCO should stick to their guns of providing reliable and efficient power supply. Zesco shoulded have been allowed to undertake the fibre network in the first place. No wonder we are still witnessing load sheds in some parts of the country.
Who does’nt know that the fibre optic project proposal on Zesco pylons was initiated by Zamtel only to be hijacked by ZESCO. Chaps are however not trained to do telecomms job. Someone in politics during LPM reign messed up. CAZ gave Zesco the lincese out of ignorance and shallow thinking. Zesco should have stuck to their original business of power provision and innovation. Diversify from hydro to nuke and other power generating schemes.
Otherwise Zesco cannot save two Masters. Govt please sell that fibre installation too.
Sisala misapplied funds during the fibre optic installation. Maintenance of fibre cable is one expensive venture whether Zesco does it itself or they hire proffessionals to do it for them. Won’t maitenance of Zesco power lines be affected?
Yes!! this was one expensive and ambitious project necessitated by sluggish, impotent and beleaguered Zamtel which todate we learn that it is and has been run by incompetent statemen .
I mean listen to Zamtel Boss on TV yesterday, he did not talk about the project of digging Zambia and burrying the optical fibre rather he meant for Zamtel to dance to Zesco’s tune. Bwana please, concentrate on your project. If Govt is to sell the Zesco fibre, well let them think of selling it to any local private entity like coppernet.. Be sober.
Please do’nt allow Zesco to operate the Fibre, Let them concentrate on Power Generation and allow the birth of a Telecommunication or Data carrier firm from Zesco.. Acting Chitudu should look in a lime light and be humbled.
Now that Zamtel is on the line, I do’t support that this fibre should be bundled to the Zamtel Sale. No No.
Chitundu please dont allow yourself to be used, emulate your former boss the Dr who recently resigned because of the same manourvers! Remember 2011 is around the corner and the idea of trotting to and from the courts will be too costly for!
Another root cause for the power problem with Zesco stems from high usage from commercial industries etc. Guess what industries like the mines are not paying windfall tax….This tax would have been used to build the ZESCO infrastructure. For example, MMD sell the mines and get no proper tax system for revenue…oops the mines and all these sold commercial entities use up alot of electricity…instead of getting revenue from these so called investors to build Zesco. MMD scheme to sell or mess up Zesco, Zambia Airways, Zamtel etc…Z open up your eyes and smell the coffee. MMD are like those greedy & ignorant chiefs who sold people and land for mirrors and beer. Where is the protection and benefit for Zedians in these “deals”. Donors subsidize the Zambian education and health services…
#13 Donors subsidize the Zambian education and health services at the moment. What are we gaining from this “Chiluba MMD sells all” policy and “Z owns nothing” policy? Foreign investment has advantages, however, should be done in a way that benefits the WHOLE country long term. The job creation theory does not work as revenue as the ZRA budget deficit has revealed
#39 Zed Never Learns A.K.A Kellychinook
“I still think that ZESCO should stick to their guns of providing reliable and efficient power supply”.
What ZESCO has done is not strange at all. You need to check the evolution of South Africa’s Telcom then you will see why it is not bad for ZESCO to maintain the fibre. In any case, why should we get a loan from World Bank to put up infrastructure in ZESCO and without any reason we want to sell it together with an unrelated entity? We need to understand why ZESCO put up that infrastructure first.
These guys are funny no one can say that they are being used, eveyone whoever asks about anyone no one can accept to say “yes am being used to bring about destruction” Even Judas iscariot never said he was being used all he did is got the money and he started to look for ways to have Jesus killed who was supposed to be his best friend or even a brother. Its also like when the government is lying to us that someones condition is stable. When ever you hear stable just know things are not alright. So even in this case What post did was to bring things in the loght before they could come out unexpectedly. So state house now has to change plans. The company can pay Zesco now and get the optic fibre after they start to function and pretnd that the deal has just been accepted as Zesco…
When are you selling the Lakes? I have a friend here who is willing to buy lakes in zambia so we do fish faming for the western world. Is any person hearing me? When is lackes- auction???
Very sad indeed. PRIVATISATION did Zambia benefit from it honestly. The only people who benefited from it are the people who were in the fore front. Mr Chitundu should just keep quiet we know that there is no smoke without fire.
“Nothing they say is true! They just want to destroy. Their words are deceitful like a hidden pit, and their tonques are good only for telling lies. Punish them, God, and let their plans bring their downfall. They keep committing crimes and turning against you.” (Psalms: 5:9,10)
#9: The amount of ignorance on this matter (and many others) is truly appalling, and yet the blog is full of people yelling their “expertise”.
If GRZ cared about development of zamabia by way of accsessable ICT they should sell that ZESCO fiber network to an independent company not conected to ZAMTEL. let Who ever buys zamtel show they are serious and develop the companies own infrastrucutre and let competion thirve. Zesco will be allowed for manegment/controll data traffic for their sites via the network but should concentrate on providing power to the nation, which they are failing to do now. The main problem is GRZ deciding between imediate high tax revenues from tecomm sector or closing thier eyes to low taxes during the libarsliation process and then
The MD probably wants to save his job. We shall wait and see what happens next.
there are a lots of blog situated on that theme however, your best thus far…that?s why My business is commenting here