Reverend Flywell Somanje….we are tired with Airtel network challenge
A human rights and governance organization, the Millennium Information and Resource Centre [MIRECE], has asked Minister of Information and Digitalization Moses Kumkuyu to meet Airtel telecommunication Company to address its network challenge.
The MIRECE says Airtel formerly Zain, came to open telecommunication business in Malawi, signing all protocols with the Government of Malawi to improve communication gap in dissemination of messages through mobile phones and other means.
The organization has expressed its grave concern that instead of bridging the gap of communications in its coverage areas, the mobile network company has become a company not to be trusted by Malawians due to frequent network challenges.
Writing in a statement, MIRECEs Director Reverend Flywell Somanje, lamented that in the years before Airtel came to Malawi, people were communicating with one another without much problems through Telecom and Post Offices.
Reverend Somanje said in what many thought that the country has taken three steps forward to bridge the communication gap with Airtel, people are spending days without network coverage describing this as a worrisome development.
The Reverend accused Airtel Company of monopolizing other mobile telecommunications companies to start businesses in Malawi claiming that Axes was all set to open its company in Malawi but it was blocked for the reasons best known by the authorities.
He said people thought that the coming in of Axes, and other mobile network telecommunications companies would bring in a competition for customers to choose which side to go but Airtel blocked them for Malawians to get used to Airtel communication network challenges.
….’’Both the Minister of Information and MACRA have a duty to play not to allow Malawians suffer for communication network challenges, businesses, farming as a business and economy has gone down due to network challenges,’’….reads the statement in part.
He advised the Minister of Information Moses Kumkuyu to go to Airtel to discuss with the management on what is happening for Malawians to experience network challenges after it pledged to bridge the communication gap in the country.
Reverend Somanje said if Airtel is not ready to fulfill its mandate of serving Malawians in communication bridging, it is better for the company to close its business in Malawi for other telecommunication networks to come and open their doors to Malawians.
Meanwhile, the MIRECE on behalf of all telecommunication users, has given the Minister of Information Moses Kumkuyu 14 days to address Airtel network challenges in Malawi reminding him that the position he is holding is not only speaking for Government but the citizens.
The organization has warn the Minister of Information that should he fail to address telecommunications network challenges within the dates given, concerned citizens of Malawi will rise up to show their anger to Airtel mobile network company for a vote of no confidence.
