Mandiwanzira speaks on Telecel licence

By Brown Moyo

HARARE – ICT, Postal and Courier Services minister, Supa Mandiwanzira, met with Phillip Chiyangwa, Jane Mutasa, POTRAZ acting DG Kennedy Dewera and others to discuss the recent announcement by the minister that Telecel’s licence had been cancelled, Techzim, an online technology magazine has reported.

According to Techzim, Mandiwanzira distanced himself from the ongoing ownership wrangle which has dogged the mobile service provider for some time leading to government cancelling its operating license.

As also reported in the Sunday Mail, Mandiwanzira said government could no longer tolerate a situation where investors that had not fully complied with the laws of the land can be allowed to continue operating.

“Telecel has been operating without a licence and we allowed that simply because it employs Zimbabweans and that they also have subscribers who may be inconvenienced if we take drastic action,” Mandiwanzira said.

Mandiwanzira said he is only interested in having the licence paid for by either Telecel or, having the licence offered to another company ready to pay for it.

“Only a foolish government can allow that to happen. We are not foolish that is why I am taking the action,” Mandiwanzira said.

Telecel has been locked up in a bitter ownership wrangle that has seen President Robert Mugabe’s relatives, Chiyangwa and Patrick Zhuwao being roped in.

Mandiwanzira also said potential investors in the business should engage government since it was the licensing authority.

“We cannot have a Zimbabwean asset being traded internationally, offshore, with no tax revenue and capital gains coming to Zimbabwe,” he said.

But below is what Tech Zim make of the story so far:

“Of course it’s hard to believe that the there’s no intention by them (Mandiwanzira and government) to involve themselves in the shareholding squabbles. Why else would they act only after Phillip Chiyangwa mentioned a couple of weeks ago that he was seeking government intervention for him to buy out the other shareholders.

“The minister also told us that he expects to meet Vimpelcom representatives later this week. It’s not clear yet how many of the EC shareholders, and those clawing their way back into shareholding, he has met or what has come out of the meetings.”