UZI given ultimatum
GOVERNMENT will quash the license of Uzi Zambia, the country’s fourth mobile service provider, if it did not start operations by November this year, Minister of Transportation and Communications Mutotwe Kafwaya has said.
Mr Kafwaya said the company’s current operating licence would expire by November 30, 2019.
He said in an interview yesterday Government would only give the fourth mobile service provider up to November 30 failure to which it would take necessary action.
Uzi has up to November, Mr Kafwaya said.
The nation would be informed on the next course of action if the company fails to do so.
“Uzi has paid its spectrum up to November 30, so we expect it to start operating by that time or renew it if it fails to start operating. But if nothing will be done after this period, government will inform the nation what action will be taken,” he said.
Mr Kafwaya said that the mobile service provider was currently negotiating with various stakeholders it intended to engage in its operations.
“The information we have currently is that Uzi is putting its house in order. So it is making necessary arrangements to ensure that it operationalize," he said.
Earlier this year, former Minis- ter of Transportation and Commu- n ications, Brian Mushimba, said in an interview, that
UZI was mobilising resources to erect a fibre optic cable from Angola to Zambia.
He said it was the reason the company had extended the period for commencing operations.
Dr Mushimba said
UZI indicated it had challenges to erect the fibre optic cable as it was expensive and that it was mobilising resources to ensure the cable was successfully installed.