Macra ‘bulldozed’ to award Lacell Malawi mobile licence

Controversy has ensued in Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (Macra) after some board members have confided in Nyasa Times that they are being bulldozed in granting a licence to another mobile operator.

Kumbatira: Current information
Kumbatira: Current information

In 2008 the Macra board looked at the bids of six companies in an international tender process.

During the bid Milcom scored highly with 90.5 percent, followed by Expresso Telecom Group of Dubai which scored 82 %.

Then VivaCell MTS Consortium from British Virgin Islands scored 81%, Lebanon-based multi-national telecommunication provider Comium Group scored 75%, Lacell of Singapore got 60 % and Forward Ranchers got 60%.

However, despite Lacell, which uses the brand name Smart Mobile, scoring lowly, the board was being “bulldozed” to allow it roll out its services.

Macra boss Andrew Kumbatira has however said Lacell linked to Farook Sattar is being awarded “based on current information.”

He said the other frontrunners were either disqualified or pulled out.

Minister of Information Kondwani Nankhumwa said the new board would like to “renegotiate” with Lacell on terms and conditions of licensing,

But board members confided with Nyasa Times that they are being bulldozed by Malawi government “most powerful” man Ben Phiri from State House to give Lacell the licence “in whatever situation.”

Phiri who is special aide to the President could not answer his phones when contacted several times.

The other cellular network operators in the Southern African country are Airtel Malawi, a subsidiary of Pan-African mobile operator Balti, and TNM, which is owned by Malawian conglomerate Press Corporation.

The two established mobile phone network service providers share a market of over 1, 5-million subscribers, and the Malawi government intends granting further mobile phone network licences in order to increase the number of phone users in the country, which has a 13-million-strong population.

A BBC report recently said International Telecommunications Union (ITU) puts on average Malawians use more than $12 (£7.70) a month on mobile phones.

This is more than half of what an ordinary Malawian earns in a month.

Marca’s Ben Chisonga says the government might have to intervene to bring down the tariffs.

“We are thinking of introducing more data players in the market,” he says.

“For the current players, we are thinking of reducing the interconnection rates, which are about four cents per minute, which we believe, is the highest in the continent.”

Meanwhile, after Nyasa Times reported that Macra board was divided over the overpricing of the ‘spy machine’ upgrade, the regulator’s deputy director general Francis Bisika has confirmed that board members expressed reservations during the meeting.

However, Bisika claimed in The Nation that they changed their mind after an explanation but the paper said board members maintained the board rejected the upgrading price of the machine after being briefed on the development.

The board members added that Macra was warned that the price increase for mere upgrading was dangerous as it would sway the public opinion against government considering the economic challenges the country is facing.

“The issue was just bulldozed because it seems some people have personal interests,” the paper quoted a board member whose identity was shielded.

Many observers have noted underhand tactics in the issue of ‘spy machine’ upgrade and mobile operator licence.

Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :

Sharing is caring!

Follow us in Twitter
30 Comments
newest
oldest most voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
citizen okwiya
citizen okwiya
9 years ago

A Malawi, we need to put stop to these behaviours of these people using political connections to find their way through.
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH !!!!

TIME FOR ACTION NOW…..LET US START. ANY IDEAS?

kadamanja
9 years ago

Ben Phiri watumidwa ndi mbuyache Pitala, otsamangotukwana Ben tukwanani Peter uyo zamkutu!

Think Tank
Think Tank
9 years ago

Mr Ben Phiri,please limit your powers according to your job description. Excess powers boomerang in future. Right now you are busy punishing people in the previous government for whatever they were doing while in power. History has a knack of repeating itself. Leave MACRA do its professional work. Take or leave it. Ecclesiastes 11 vs 9 gives good advice: be happy,young man,while you are you…. But know know that for all these things……

Muyao
9 years ago

Just award the licenses macra ,we want competition in Malawi.

Phodogoma
Phodogoma
9 years ago

MACRA do you want we in the government to FEAR you. We are almost the same executive positions. We can share notes as long as we in the government we feel that our people can benefit. People of Malawi be calm. I remember many people did not like the issue conrcening the CHINESE when they were landing on Malawian soil. But look today. China has brought more good than harm. So be cool. Singaporean Lacell will reduce the price of the phone calls as you are crying now, the poorest people in the world.

gada
gada
9 years ago

Ben Phiri ndi munthu woyipa kwambiri.tikukuwonatu.akangopatsidwa licence imeneyo.tionetsana.ndaramayo ukaidyera kuti?

Kulibe kantu
Kulibe kantu
9 years ago

Who is this Ben Phiri? Please board members put you foot down. Just tell this Phiri guy to stay away. Do your work without political interference. Don’t look cheap. That is why some of us do not want to work in government. I can’t take nonsense!

Mahikili Bantu Blake
Mahikili Bantu Blake
9 years ago

Mr Ben Phiri this is your time enjoy the treasures of this world, our loyalty is intact to DPP despite inu kutipondereza sitizafooka we will soldier on until we drop dead 2019 tiyithamanganso campaign sitisintha ma nambala anthu kuti tizapezeke msanga mukatifuna ZIKOMO

Bigdwag
Bigdwag
9 years ago

THE MORE THINGS CHANGE, THE MORE THEY REMAIN THE SAME!!!

Kokotowa
Kokotowa
9 years ago

Who the fuck is Farook Sattar?

Read previous post:
Depressing! 29 Karonga school girls pregnant in past six months

A survey conducted by Kachila Youth Centre in Malawi’s uranium town of Karonga has revealed that at least twenty nine...

Close