Malawi Telcom Limited (MTL) Buys Majority Shares In Telkom Networks Malawi (TNM)

The privatised Malawi Telecommunications Limited (MTL) has bought majority shares of 60 percent in Telekom Networks Malawi (TNM), hence becoming the major controller of communication airwaves in the country.Dean Lungu, chairman of Press Corporations Limited (PCL)—the main shareholder in Telkom Holdings Limited (THL) which is a consortium that bought the lone ground phone operator MTL—confirmed the developments in an interview yesterday.“Yes it’s true, MTL has taken over TNM.

The deal was signed and handovers should be done within the next two to three weeks,” said Lungu.He said Telekom Malaysia officials are expected to grace the handover ceremony.Asked whether Detecon International, THL’s technical partner, would also be managing TNM, Lungu said the MTL board will meet and decide.

Former MTL acting board chairman Ken Msonda who fought the MTL sale, said it was unfortunate that a private company was in control of the national airwaves.Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (Macra) public relations officer Clara Mulonya could not be reached for comment on what would happen to other telephone companies such as Celtel who depend on MTL’s network for interconnectivity.

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