Nkhata Bay rural communities decry absence of radio signal

Some residents in rural areas in Nkhata Bay District have bemoaned the absence of telecommunication network.

During spot-checks on Monday in areas such as Thotho, Mangwina, Musinji Yiwi, Chisangawe, Masasa, Chitundu and Sanji in Sub-Traditional Authority Khoza, it came to light that radio reception is non-existent.

Speaking in an interview, Yotamu Mhone from Thotho said he has lived in the area for 60 years, but the radios receive signals from Tanzania.

“Our radios do not pick signals from Malawi. We ask the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority [Macra] to provide signals for both radio station and mobile networks,” he said.

Lucy Manda and James Mhone, students at Thotho Community Day Secondary School, said lack of network was affecting them academically.

“In places where network is available, our friends are able to access learning materials and information from the Internet,” said Manda. 

Sub T/A Khoza his subjects are denied their right to access information.

In a separate interview, Minister of Information and Digitisation Moses Kunkuyu acknowledged the network challenges in the area.

He said: “Macra is aware that some people in some areas of Nkhata Bay listen to Tanzania radio stations. This is the case because of the topography as the spill-over signals travel through the lake to Malawi.

“Macra has licensed a lot of radio stations in the North such as Voice of Livingstonia, Tuntufye Radio, Tigabane Radio, Wazilinda which cover Nkhata Bay.”