Government has frozen all Bank accounts belonging to the troubled Zamtel Company. All deposits and withdrawals have been frozen literally grounding the company’s operations.
The National Union of Communication workers-NUCW-has confirmed the development. Union President, Patrick Kaonga says the development has further dampened the workers morale.
This has forced the National Union of Communication workers-NUCW-to call on government to state its position on Zamtel workers.
Union President, Patrick Kaonga has accused government of not having interest in the welfare of the workers but just the repossession of the telecommunication company.
When contacted for a comment Chief Government spokesperson, Fackson Shamenda referred queries to Minister of Finance Alexander Chikwanda.
MUVITV
Uko…wapye ehhh..
Boma la bwel’ aanso:-?…
We told you that education is critical for a head of state, look at the ignorant decisions being made now, eeeeeh!
AAgain a no-trainer move! Common sense is not so common! They have just successfully rendered the company useless..operations would have continued..whole the madsling fight continues!
WORKERS SHOULD NOT PANIC FOR AS MUCH AS WE KNOW, THE GOVERNMENTS MOVE IS MEANT TO SAVE THEM AND US ALL. SHAMENDE DON’T BE A COWARD!! AM NOW WAITING TO HEAR FROM LAP GREEN!
And whats the way forward?Â
Was it really necessary to freeze the accounts? I think Zamtel should be taken back amicably. This sounds a bit too harsh! As a country, the Libyans were asked to come and buy. They paid money and this is how you treat them? Foreigners will all take their money out of Zambia now…
shut your trap and your inferiority complex. The chinese need our copper period and African investment. Lap green can move on.
Pipo don’t b dumb zamtel stopped all money deposits meaÑing they literally stopped talking money to the banks therefore hoarding the money so govt has to step in so that they don’t take any money from there accounts leaving zamtel broke as govt re possesses zamtel. It has to b done. Busy critising without thinking and analyzing matters
This was a very good move. I feel sorry for the workers, but this must be done to enable investigators to get to the bottom of this case. Otherwise, evidence would be destroyed. It goes to show that life of crime does not pay..
@8 Kupa,
Good observation…..ZAMTEL management has instructed its staff countrywide not to bank the company’s daily collections via a internal memo, so if you chaps want to end up with cobwebs in the accounts when LAPGreen leaves suit yourselves….The Gov’t has our interests at heart, good strategic emptive move by the government.
@8 Kupa,
Good observation…..ZAMTEL management has instructed its staff countrywide not to bank the company’s daily collections via an company internal memo, so if you chaps want to end up with cobwebs in the accounts when LAPGreen leaves suit yourselves….The Gov’t has our interests at heart, good strategic pre emptive move by GRZ.
i guess this must be what the call hostile takeover. let the take it, Â we tried 90days,we tried MCS, why not go backwards as well.hell why not try everything and anything
10, 11 if what you have said is true, then Zamtel management was simply responding to a threat to its business operations when government freezes its accounts. Very responsible management, I would say, caring for its customers and its employees. You chaps who are saying Zamtel employees to be patient and to sacrifice for the nation do not know what it means to suddenly go without pay especially in January after paying school fees. That management certainly cares for its employees welfare more than the government.
In the event that the government reposesses the company,it should not be retained but sold to indegenous zambians.nationalisation cannot work in zambia,atleast not now.
africans still remain the dullest spices on this earth, PF’s stance is the best. if this lunatics channel all the money including the $60 million dollar they found in our account, what would you say tomorrow? good move PF
Thank you for also agreeing that goverment has done right.
When you allow a service company like Zamtel to collapse, rest assured that it will never rise again, why? Because when customers are inconvenienced they will never go back to that company if they have easy options like Airtel, MTN etc. Ironically, believe it or not, those customers include PF cadres and their leaders. So once Zamtel collapses, its fate will no longer be in the hands of government but will be determined by its customers. So ba PF, if it is true that you have frozen the accounts of Zamtel, rest assured that you have killed it not temporarily but FOREVER, mark my words. On top of that, through international arbitration you will be paying LapGreen for killing their company. Ni Agony yamu Post bane, watch this space.
@16
The sky is not  falling…stop being an alarmist…Not when the consumer knows that the inconvenience is for their own good DON’T compare companies in the private sector with a quasi government company.
Tip of the iceberg, you are yet to cry………. with your careless voting.
donchi kubeba mukalilalila, eishiiiii
but i thought shamenda should give the government position as the chief government spokes person. can someone help my government please before things get out of hands
What suprises me is that despite having more than 5 universities, doctors and professors we are still failing to run our own businesses. Is something is wrong with our curriculum? With proper Supply Chain and Physical Asset Management strategies, we need to see products such Zamtel’s Cel Z grow to other countries like Malawi. Every time its other people coming to Zambia.When are we going to take our businesses there? Now Zamtel has been redeemed, who is going to run it? We where there before and we failed. Whats wrong with us Zambian…….?
Guy don’t be cheated on this small site with not more the 1m readers… Pipo of zambia are yet to see the imagine the media is giving Sata… For a long time we wanted to have a strong man like Sata who can not let ba koswe eating in public… wait for next elections we shall still vote for him..
Operations could have gone on as they sort out the matter. Sata said we have repossesed ZAMTEL and his mouthpiece Mmembe/The Post had a Headline. Then Sebastian Zulu said we will negotiate and then he said Zamtel repossesion is non negotiable. And then they freeze all bank accounts. PF should learn Management and Adminstaration. But that is expecting too much from these caders. Sata ans caders in government are a commedy and you haven’t seen anything yet. It’s live commmedy for the next Five years years. It’s a pity you voted for this commedy.
People on this blog. You have to remember that the president listens to the people above all he has sorrounded himself with very educated people. if you think the president’s actions are not Pivot wait and see. We did not ask LAP Green to come and buy ZAMTEL they presented they RHETORIC interest. ZAMTEL wokers should remember those workers who lost their jobs when Zamtel was sold am sure the President will try and avoid that. I have confidence in this government. Good Job PF Government this action is long overdue
Imwe guys ba Zamtel had stopped making deposits. Balefwaya ukubandamuka ne ndalama ba kaling’ongo. Nomba balambwaza kaili twabesukilapo so tabaitambe bwino. But no vundu for the workers once twageta Zamtel you will be well taken care of. Ka boss kaba Zamtel ama cheeky too much so first tukalishemo amasuku.
Repossession of ZAMTEL will not have a negative impact on investors. The WEST will be more than happy to invest in Zambia. We have a money laundering issue which is connecting to destabilising the International community. Who knows money launderers have an advantage of succeeding in developing countries.
Good move! Only *****s and greedy sons-of-bitches would not welcome this move. After reading the report of the inquiry, it is a pity people like Mutati thought Zambians are so ignorant to understand the report. He talks so much about economics when he  knows shit! A good economist is supposed to put the interest of the country first not personal benefits, how do you turn down an investor because he plans to invest more money in the company than other bidders?.
This is what we have been waiting for. Viva PF
If govt. did not follow procedures in the Zamtel saga, and Lap Green acquired the shares in good faith, then, there will certainly be costly litigatious issues. You cannot sign legally binding contracts as a govt. and think you can just decide to do away with them willy-nilly. Why on earth did this govt. not quietly get to the bottom of the transaction before making public statements that border on being decider and executioner at the same time? I foresee a protracted battle over contractual issues and damages for breach of contract!
Whilst we appreciate the need for transparency, we also need to find the middle road where truth and reconciliation can play an impportant role. If there is a shortfall, let LAPGreen pay it rather than having acrimonious actiooon taken. This business of freezing accounts if done before proper evidence is found can be very costly for govenment in legal suits. Is history repeating itself in the years of Mwanwasa’s dreaded Task Force??? Furthermore,there are diplomatic relations to worry about for the future. cant we investigate QUIETLY and once all investigations and discussions are done then come out with an opinion? Reversing such changes when the accusers are found wrong are very difficult. Innocent before proven guilty seems to be missing from our methodology.
This is a good mov by government, yes accounts have been frozen that does NOT mean that operations have stopped. People in Zambia get paid on the 30th/31st and thats about 10 days to go. So the workers will keep going to work and in the next few days government will solve this. #25 whether government signed the contract or what the thing is that it was acquired fraudalently therefore it get be taken away easily. As this was something belonging to the Zambian people not to a minister if they Zambian people have realised that they have been cheated they cannot honour that as it was not bought hounorally. Even the western countries will be Very happy about this move.Government has got the interest of the citizens.
Russia has taken over businesses & people still go there for business. PF, go ahead and take over. We will pay LAP Green what they paid and what they have invested in Zamtel. We will also fight them in our courts with costs applied to them for losing as we’ll not give them back Zamtel.
ignorance is expensive, and we told you the danger of engaging satas’ ignorance.
To all u guys that say this move will cost the govement exactly which courtÂ
Will lap green go to. If it’s a Zambian court they will loose no questions asked.Â
After that which court will they go to that will impose its judgement over Zambia.Â
The government can choose to disregard any external courts judgement.Â
Which leaves sanctions as the only option to force GRZ to pay lap G.Â
But tell me which European or Asian country that gives a shit about Lap G
For them to impose sanctions on Zambia. Ba Lap just cut your loses Nleave.
You gabled n lost! ……
Economic sabotage.
Repossesing Zamtel can never chase away investors unless those used to buying stolen companies or without following procedures and expert advice.
wait as the kwacha becomes as worthiless as toilet paper.All investors to pull out then you will understand that its important to have a genuinely qualified lot to run government.zambia is fast sinkining deeper than zimbabwe was.
Ba LT where is my coment.
Problem with cadres having access to the internet ..have you noticed how kwacha is depreciating? This will definitely reduce investor confidence like it or not..yes we will still have mediocre investment! What I really want to hear is what the PF job creation road map is not getting distracted by partisan security wings gloating on their catch! There was promise of transformation of public media which we have not seen yet! We need to rise above cadre politics and see where we see our country 20yrs from now and what role we see our selves playing in bringing about development. Let’s not get emotional about issues we only know on a need to know basis! All we are hearing is a one sided government ofcourse. Let’s wait and see