Shumba to Lose Tele-Access Over UPM Links

Source from:  Zimbabwe Standard (Harare) November 13, 2005 Walter Marwizi 11/15/2005

TELEACCESS boss, Daniel Shumba, is set to lose the country's second fixed operator's licence as punishment for his alleged involvement in the United People's Movement (UPM), The Standard can reveal. Shumba, the former Zanu PF Masvingo provincial chairman was suspended from the ruling party late last year after attending the Tsholotsho meeting that rattled the ruling party, after six of the 10 provinces in the country decided on who should succeed President Robert Mugabe. The meeting, which came up with the so-called Tsholotsho Declaration, prompted Mugabe to purge party stalwarts who reportedly tried to block Joice Mujuru from becoming Vice President of Zimbabwe. Thereafter Shumba, who was dominating Masvingo politics, took a back seat in Zanu PF, concentrating his energies on his company, which has failed to roll out its network due to crippling foreign currency shortages. However sources this week told The Standard that State security agents had placed Shumba under surveillance after suspecting that he was heavily involved in the UPM, which is being fronted by Tsholotsho MP, Professor Jonathan Moyo. The agent had also recommended that his licence be withdrawn since a member of the opposition could not be entrusted to run such an enterprise which would compete with the State- run TelOne. Apart from placing full page advertisements and coming up with a CD, titled We will rock them, which has been widely circulated, UPM has been mum on its membership. There were suggestions that disgruntled Zanu PF supporters and those from the MDC would join it and launch a formidable challenge to the ruling party. Shumba, who is reported to be UPM's interim chairperson, could not be reached for comment last week as he was locked up in a shareholders' meeting. However, The Standard understands that pressure is mounting on the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) to urgently withdraw the licence from him. Asked to comment on reports that State security agencies had recommended that Shumba's licence be withdrawn, Potraz director general Cuthbert Chidoori said in a written response on Friday: "No comment." TeleAcess was awarded a second fixed network licence in 2003 after the Supreme Court dismantled the state owned Posts and Telecommunications Corporations (PTC) monopoly. However, the organisation has failed to roll out the project mainly due to forex shortages. Early this year, TeleAccess tried unsuccessfully to raise $150 billion earmarked for the roll out the multi billion-dollar project. The withdrawal of the licence will impact on its bankers CBZ who have been financing the day-to day operations. Nyasha Makuvise, CBZ CEO, told a parliamentary portfolio committee that TeleAccess would embark on tobacco farming to raise the requisite foreign currency. The outcome of the farming venture is still to be made public. Enditem