Malawi activists demand Macra explain surveillance tech buy

Regulator bought pricey monitoring tech, activists want answers, silence fuels fears about money, rights, and election misuse.

Procurement sparks public backlash

• Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority faces heat over K2.6 billion misinformation tracking gear.
• Cost, secrecy, and abuse worries keep piling up.
• Questions hit transparency and spending sense.

The promise to brief the nation goes missing

• Concerned Citizens of Malawi-People Power Movement says a public explanation never arrived.
• Leaders Edwards Kambanje and Oliver Nakoma flag the silence as unacceptable.
• Trust erodes with zero follow-through.

Earlier checks deepen the frustration

• The group joined a review trip to HASHCOM in Accra.
• Alongside Parliament, the ICT Association of Malawi, and media reps.
• Participation raises expectations for openness.

Spending priorities look upside down

• Critics say the timing clashes with economic hardship.
• Health and education gaps make the purchase harder to defend.
• Public patience keeps thinning.

Civil liberties alarms ring loud

• Activists warn of privacy and speech risks.
• Fear of political surveillance ahead of the 2025 general elections.
• Calls grow for safeguards.

Pressure on new leadership

• Group urges fresh management to explain the procurement fast.
• Monitoring will continue for accountability and good governance.