Econet refuses to ban What’s app in Zimbabwe despite govt tactics

ITRealms:

Leading mobile operator in Zimbabwe, Econet Wireless has refused to ban What’s app in the country despite pressures from the government, reports ITRealms.

Econet Chairman, Strive Masiyiwa gave this indication Friday morning when state security agents went to Econet headquarters in Harare, when he refused to become a puppet of President Robert Mugabe. 

ITRealms gathered that ZimEye reported that the government agents wanted Econet to ban WhatsApp platform and secondly, they need names of people who were complaining about Mugabe's dictatorship.   

The report noted that on arrival, the security operatives were referred to Masiyiwa by Econet spokesperson Alfred Nyambira, who in turn spoke to the agents via video call from Denmark.

ZimEye also report that the Econet chairman was precise in his chat with them and was quoted as saying telling them off. 

"... Your Potraz laws cannot be allowed to destroy my business ..." he said, stressing that concerning the issue of phone numbers and details of network users.

“I cannot give you because the international satellite laws state that user privacy is of key importance", said Masiyiwa. 

The unshaken Masiyiwa maintained his stand on the issue of banning WhatsApp.

According him, "My company (Econet Wireless) is going to lose billions of dollars if I agree to ban the social media platform ... so go and arrange with your boss (Mugabe) on how to compensate my money before you talk to me …."

Meanwhile, Econet Wireless has assured Zimbabweans that the security agents from the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) lack the capacity to read people’s messages on What’s App, one of the agents was quoted as saying.

Chuks Egbuna/ZimEye/GEE

ITREALMS ... everything news digitally!

EcoCash, MoneyGram 4.9m customers to receive funds worldwide

ITRealms:

MoneyGram, a global provider of innovative money transfer services, and Econet Wireless, the leading mobile operator in Zimbabwe has created a mobile fund transfer solution to enable more than 4.9 million of their customers to receive funds across the world, ITRealms reports.

The two global companies announced the launch of a new service that enables customers from more than 200 countries and territories worldwide to transfer funds via EcoCash, Zimbabwe’s leading mobile money transfer solution The EcoCash network which operates at any time, day or night, and from any place ensures that more consumers can access MoneyGram’s services at more than 20,000 EcoCash locations across Zimbabwe, or at any one of MoneyGram’s agent locations worldwide The collaboration was celebrated at a press conference recently in Zimbabwe, which was attended by MoneyGram’s vice president for Africa, Herve Chomel, and his counterpart, the regional director, southern and eastern Africa, Anton Luttig,.  “Our activation with EcoCash, a leader in Zimbabwe’s mobile money realm, furthers MoneyGram’s vision of expanding our self-service offerings to ensure an unparalleled customer experience,” Chomel says. “With the service, we are offering millions of consumers, many in remote areas of the country, access to a fast, reliable and secure method of transferring money, much of which is used to purchase life essentials and daily expenses.” The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Econet Wireless. Douglas Mboweni,  said, “We have a strong presence in Zimbabwe’s digital environment and we are excited to link up with MoneyGram to utilize the company’s global footprint and bring more options to our consumers. In-wallet remittances are becoming more topical, not only in driving access to international remittances for the previously unbanked but also driving further financial inclusion as we link the diaspora and home. By working with MoneyGram, we will help reach more consumers who rely on our domestic and international remittance services to handle their daily financial needs.” Consumers have access to MoneyGram in more than 50 African countries, and the company is working to support economic development across the continent through expanded alternative channels like the EcoCash service.  Cyriacus Nnaji/GEE  ITREALMS ... everything news digitally!