Mobile network hiccups  irk Mkushi residents

Sat, 10 Feb 2018 12:39:47 +0000

By PETER MALASHA

A CIVIC leader in Mkushi has bemoaned poor cellular communication in his ward, a situation prompting residents to climb trees and ant-hills in search of the network in others areas.

Speaking in an interview with the Daily Nation, Kalwa ward councillor Gerald Manda said the people in the ward were facing communication challenges due to lack of enough cellular communication towers in the ward.

Mr. Manda said the only communication tower in the area was for Airtel Zambia Limited but that it was not enough to cater for the whole ward.

Mr. Manda said there was need for government through relevant the ministry to install enough communication towers to improve the communication to ensure tangible development.

“I am appealing to government to look into the issue of communication in rural areas such as Kalwa ward. People here have got phones but have been rendered useless due to lack of clear signal rather especially for those staying far away from the communication tower.

Mr. Manda said due to inadequate communication towers, people in distant places relying solely on this tower were always in search of the poor signal, a situation he described as unfortunate in digital era.

He further called on government to consider installing more communication towers in the area to include MTN and Zamtel.

And Musofu residents in Mkushi are reportedly climbing trees and ant-hills in search for cellular network communication.

Musofu ward councillor Attlee Chipabila revealed this to the Daily Nation in an interview.

Mr. Chipabila explained that people in the area had been left out in mobile communication, despite having Zamtel a communication tower which they noted produced a poor signal.

Mr. Chipabila also appealed to government to facilitate installation of  MTN and Airtel towers to improve communication in the ward.

Mr. Chipabila explained that Musofu ward was vast and needed to have as many communication towers as possible to cater for the entire ward.

Mr. Chipabila stated that days were long gone when people searched for the network on ant-hills and tall trees to access a clear signal.

“I am appealing to government to expedite the reported installation of communication towers in the ward so that residents can communicate freely within and outside the area without difficulties,” Mr. Chipabila said.

Recently, Mkushi District Council chairman Evans Bwalya disclosed that government would start installing communication towers in areas where the cellular signal was poor such as Musofu and Kalwa ward.