Malawi: MACRA puts hold on CIRMS project

MACRA once again said the machine was not purchased in order to 'eavesdrop' on telephone conversation of the people. MACRA deputy director of standards Henry Silika revealed when he made a presentation to journalists that the process has not stopped but just been put on hold due to "stiff resistance" from operators, he said.

Not meant for spying - MACRA

MACRA director general Charles Nsaliwa again said the machine was not meant to be used for spying as feared by other sections of the society but to give them information on international call tariffs. He said they wanted the machine to tell them how many international calls the country has received and how much money operators should pay as a result.

"Communication is a very lucrative business and operators make super normal profits... We will only get data from operators' mediation point where data is processed for billing system and not voices," he said.

MACRA board member Richard Chisala justified the need of acquiring the machine by saying government already keeps information of the people like on driving licence and passports and yet they do not abuse it.

"Government should be trusted with people's information rather than the private sector," he said.

Association of Business Journalists (ABJ) facilitated the meeting and in his opening remarks, ABJ national coordinator Thomas Chafunya said the media is eager to learn the operations of the ICT regulatory system.

Journalists hope for launch in good faith

"It is our sincere hope as journalists that the new system is being launched in good faith and will not impinge on the rights of Malawians to freely communicate, as widely feared," said Chafunya.

As media, he said they hope that the new system will enhance ICT interaction between members of the general public and that the press will now find it much easier to technologically access and disseminate information accordingly as enshrined in Malawi's Constitution.

The public and the country's four telecommunication operators, Malawi Telecommunication Limited (MTL), Telecom Networks of Malawi (TNM), Airtel Malawi and Access Communications Limited (ACL) objected to MACRA's use of teh machine.