Macra under fire over operators’ stand
Players in the communications sector have expressed anxiety over punitive sanctions Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (Macra) has taken on some operators
The concerns follow a public notice the authority issued on Thursday on enforcement action it is taking against 33 companies that are said to have failed to comply with certain legal and regulatory obligations.
Reacting to the recent development, Misa Malawi chairperson Tereza Ndanga said the number of media stations at risk of losing their licences tells of how many jobs that will be lost under the Tonse Alliance administration that promised to create more jobs.
“This number should worry us as regards access to information for the citizenry, which ironically this administration gave Malawians to enjoy after operationalising the law.
“I had expected the new Macra, under a new Administration, to first of all analyse the situation and find what the problem is and correct that. That is what a well-meaning administration, which promotes media freedom, access to information and creation of jobs, would do,” she said.
Ndanga further said Misa Malawi had tried to engage Macra and the responsible Minister of Information and Digitisation Gospel Kazako but “it has not yielded the results we had hoped for”.
When contacted, Kazako asked for more time to get finer details on the issue.
But chairperson of Association of Community Radios (Acora) Luciano Milala bemoaned Macra’s lack of consideration, especially to community radios, which are non-profit making organisations.
He said the association already pleaded with government to reduce the fees for community radios.
On his part, Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (Cdedi) executive director Sylvester Namiwa claimed government was hiding behind the unjust laws and regulations to slide the country back to dictatorship where there was only one radio, no TV, one newspaper with no freedom of opinion and expression.
“It is ironic that a government that was ushered in with a promise to create jobs is doing things differently and is at the centre of using the laws to push those few of its citizens out of employment. This is highly insensitive to the plight of the people. Let Macra engage the affected players,” he said.
