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| Business |
| Apologise, PCL asks Msonda |
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by
Aubrey Mchulu, 07 December 2006
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09:48:47
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Conglomerate Press Corporation Limited (PCL)—the majority shareholder in the consortium that bought the privatised Malawi Telecommunications Limited (MTL)—has given former acting MTL board chairman Ken Msonda up to this Friday to apologise and retract his statement accusing PCL of lying on the privatisation deal. But Msonda has said he has no apology to make.
In their letter dated December 4, 2006 to Msonda, PCL lawyers, Savjani & Company, say the entire article headlined ‘Press Corporation lied on MTL privatisation’ published in The Chronicle newspaper dated November 20 to 26, 2006 amounted to very serious libel.
In the article, Msonda, among other things, alleged that MTL is currently spending millions of kwacha on 18 managers from Detecon—technical partners in the consortium Telecom Holdings Limited (THL)—who, he said, were drawing over K50 million in monthly wages while Malawian workers were being retrenched.
He further claimed that the 18 expatriates had replaced 2,400 employees at MTL.
PCL has since dismissed that accusation as untrue.
Expatriates from Germany’s Detecon include MTL chief executive officer Horst Holzhaeuser, chief commercial officer Stephan Hoehne and chief financial officer Richard Goodwin. There are also two Malawians in MTL’s executive management team namely director of administration and company secretary Dalton Mphepo and director of finance Ken Mnthunzi.
Msonda has been very critical of the privatisation of MTL despite government’s explanation that the privatisation process was designed to improve efficiency.
Through its lawyers, PCL is demanding “a clear and unqualified apology and retraction” of the statement from Msonda in the next issue of The Chronicle or in another major national newspaper.
Failure to do that, the lawyers warn, will lead to commencement of court proceedings.
“Having regard to our client’s position as a major player in the economy, the gravity of the allegations made, and The Chronicle newspaper’s wide circulation, our client is clearly entitled to substantial compensation as well as an apology.
“We have taken the liberty to draft what we consider to be an appropriate letter of apology and retraction for your adoption and publication,” reads the lawyers’ letter.
But Msonda said on Tuesday he has no apology to make and stands by what he said.
“What I said is the truth and I have more. It will be a David versus Goliath battle in court and I am ready for the showcase. Actually I am at my best when threatened,”
THL is owned 50.1 percent by PCL, 16.08 percent by Old Mutual plc, 6.21 percent by Press Trust while Nico Holdings Limited has 5.0 percent stakes and Detecon 2.6 percent.
Government still maintains a 20 percent stake in MTL having sold 80 percent to THL including 40 percent shares it owned through MTL in mobile phone network operator Telekom Networks Malawi Limited.
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