Civil society organisations (CSOs) have disclosed plans to re-engage the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (Macra) over the controversial $1.5 million (about K2.6 billion) misinformation management system following a change in the regulator’s leadership.
Youth and Society (YAS) executive director Charles Kajoloweka said in an interview yesterday that the leadership shift offers an opening for renewed dialogue on the integrated system procured from Ghana-based Hashcom Ltd.
He said CSOs expect the new leadership to address concerns that the system could potentially be used to violate human rights if operationalised.
“There is also a need for accountability around the procurement process to establish whether there was value for money,” said Kajoloweka.
Concerned Citizens of Malawi-People Power Movement (CCM-PPM) leader Edward Kambanje urged the new Macra leadership to prioritise transparency, saying Malawians deserve clarity on why the machine was acquired despite fears of possible rights abuses.
He said Macra has remained silent on the status of the system even after CCM-PPM wrote the authority on January 14 2026 requesting an update.
Macra spokesperson Limbani Nsapato said the authority could not immediately comment because the current leadership is yet to be fully briefed on the procurement.
“It is only after the leadership has been engaged on the procurement and intended use of the system that we will be able to comment,” he said.
Macra issued a notice of intention to award the $1.5 million contract to Hashcom Ghana on January 14 2025, a move that drew protests from several stakeholders, including civil society groups.
The regulator later travelled to Ghana in February 2025 to conduct due diligence, accompanied by representatives from the ICT Association of Malawi (Ictam), the media and the Parliamentary Committee on Media and Information.
In its report, Ictam recommended that Macra put the procurement on hold and explore alternative ways of managing misinformation and disinformation.
