Controversy has erupted between mobile operator MTN Zambia and Zambia's ruling party presidential candidate over political messaging on the operator's network.
The ruling party, the Patriotic Front (PF) candidate Edgar Lungu has been sending text messages through MTN centre telling his supporters that he is not using government money for campaigns but has raised funds from well-wishers.
However, MTN has reacted to the text message stating that the message being sent through its network has nothing to do with the mobile phone operator.
The operator said it strictly adheres to its business ethics of not transmitting any political information. The operator said the messages being sent by the ruling party to its subscribers are not coming from MTN at all.
Questions are being asked how the ruling party gained access to MTN database to be able to transmit the messages through the operator's network, without the knowledge of the operator.
MTN Zambia acting chief executive officer Clement Asante said the messages being sent by Edgar Lungu has nothing to do with MTN Zambia.
He told the media, "they have nothing to do with MTN. We will never send such messages because we do not engage in politics and because we strictly follow business ethical code".
Zambia goes to the poll on January 20, 2015 following the death of the country's president Michael Sata in October this year.
The opposition political parties have warned the government against using public funds for its campaigns.
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