Pressure is mounting on the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) to explain its procurement of misinformation and disinformation monitoring equipment worth more than K2.6 billion, amid growing public concern over cost, transparency, and potential abuse.
The Concerned Citizens of Malawi-People Power Movement (CCM-PPM) says MACRA has failed to honour an earlier commitment to publicly brief the nation on the purpose, scope, and outcome of the procurement.
In a statement signed by CCM-PPM members Edwards Kambanje and Oliver Nakoma, the group stated that it was assured a national communiqué would be issued, but “to date nothing has been shared with the public,” describing the silence as “unacceptable.”
The group stated that the issue of communication is especially troubling given that it had participated in due diligence around the project, including a fact-finding visit to HASHCOM in Accra alongside representatives from Parliament, the ICT Association of Malawi, and the ,media.
The statement also questioned the timing and priority of the expenditure, arguing that the purchase is difficult to justify amid widespread economic hardship.
“Spending about US$1.5 million on such equipment is hard to defend when Malawians are struggling with the cost of living and critical sectors like health and education remain underfunded,” the statement said.
The activists further warned that the technology could be misused to undermine civil liberties, particularly in the run-up to the 2025 general elections.
“This equipment poses serious risks to privacy and freedom of expression, and could enable political surveillance, and targeting,” the statement said.
The group has called on MACRA’s new management to urgently brief the public on the procurement process, saying it will continue monitoring the matter in the interest of transparency, accountability, and good governance.
