An unknown group of people have allegedly gained access to mobile operator Airtel Zambia’s database and have been sending campaign text messages for the ruling Patriotic Front for today’s cancelled by-elections.

An Airtel office in Livingstone said the text messages are originating from a dummy number sent from the company’s head office in the capital Lusaka.

An Airtel manager in Livingstone who asked to remain anonymous confirmed the problem but said, “Allied Mobile Communication that operates Airtel shops was not responsible for the messages because the company does not handle technical aspect of Airtel”.

The residents in the border town have reportedly continued receiving text messages in both English and local languages promoting the Patriotic Front candidate in the election.

Several people yesterday even reportedly besieged the Airtel office in Livingstone to complain about the unsolicited text messages being sent to their mobile phones day and night.

The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ), the country’s election board, has since cancelled today’s election to March 14 because of political violence that has characterised the campaigns and claimed the life of a Patriotic Front member. 

The residents complained that they never subscribed to receive the messages, which they said are causing annoyance and frustration.

Efforts to get comment from the Airtel head office proved futile as the company has remained tight-lipped on the matter.

It is; however, not the first time that unsolicited political campaign messages are being sent to voters through Airtel Zambia.

During the 2011 general elections, hundreds of Airtel Zambia customers petitioned the company over unsolicited political campaign messages that were being sent to their phones.