Cancellation of Zed Mobile licence draws criticism

Mwamba questioned why ZICTA had acted swiftly against Zed Mobile while similar actions have not been taken against larger operators despite consumer complaints.

He said Zed Mobile had strategic significance because its local ownership was unique in a sector dominated by large foreign-owned players, noting that removing it raised questions about competition and economic empowerment.

“Zed Mobile has presented an investor willing to inject fresh capital to help it meet its obligations and questioned why that option was not explored,” Mwamba said.

He argued that regulation should create a pathway to compliance where possible, saying that if a genuine investor was ready to bring capital, expertise and operational capacity, the regulator should create a recovery path.

Mwamba demanded full accountability from ZICTA and its leadership, calling for disclosure of the regulatory record, breaches alleged, notices issued and why less severe remedies were rejected.

“The public is entitled to know who made the final decision and what criteria were applied, stating that ZICTA must publicly disclose the regulatory record underpinning the cancellation and the reasons why less severe remedies were sidestepped in preference of the death sentence,” he said.

Mwamba called for an independent and transparent review of the entire process to establish whether due process was followed and whether the sanction was proportionate.

He said Zambia needed more Zambian-owned businesses reaching scale, stating that the cancellation affected employees, consumers, investors and suppliers and sent a wrong message to entrepreneurs about commitment to local businesses.

He cited the history of Airtel Zambia, which started as Zamcell in 1998 and went through rebrands to Celtel, Zain and Airtel after facing economic problems and finding new investors, arguing that if the regulator had been as harsh then, there would be no Airtel today.

He demanded protection for Zed Mobile customers including refunds for unused airtime and bundles, protection for employees, and urgent reconsideration of the cancellation where a lawful pathway existed for recapitalisation and compliance.

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