Confusion has erupted between the Zambian government and the Zambia Information and Communication Technology Authority (ZICTA) over the awarding of phase two of the rural communication tower project.

Zambian president Edgar Lungu this month signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with China on the awarding of the tender to Huawei Technologies to execute phase two of the tower project.

But ZICTA has said as far as it was concerned, it has not awarded the Chinese company the contract.

Appearing before lawmakers yesterday, ZICTA director for Legal Services Thomas Malama said although the MoU was signed between the Zambian president and the Chinese government, ZICTA is yet to engage any contractor to do phase two.

Vitalis Mooya, Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Communication and Transport queried ZICTA on why it has awarded phase two of the project to Huawei Technologies, a company the lawmakers said failed to meet technical specifications in phase one of the project.

In reply Malama said, "on the aspect of ZICTA having awarded Huawei phase two of the project, no contract has been awarded to anyone. ZICTA as an institution has not awarded any contract to anyone".

At the same hearing, ZICTA director General Margaret Mudenda told the lawmakers that while it was true that the Zambian president signed the MoU when he visited China for phase two of the project, the contract has not been awarded to Huawei Technologies.

"The signing of the MoU does not imply that we have awarded phase two to the same contractor," Mudenda said.

Meanwhile, the country's anti-corruption watchdog, the Anti-Corruption Commission, has said it was still investigating ZICTA on corruption allegations in the manner it awarded and implemented the communication tower project.

Phase one of the project involved the construction of 204 towers in the country's rural areas by Huawei Technologies at a cost of $13.5 million.

But most of the towers that have been constructed fall short of meeting the 5 kilometre radius requirement specified in the bid document.

Two months ago Mudenda said Huawei Technologies will bring the towers to acceptable standards during phase two of the project.

ITWeb Africa is continuing in its attempts to solicit comment from Huawei Technologies.