Macra plans to shutdown phones, WhatsApp on Malawi elections days

May 19, 2019 Nyasa Times 31 Comments

Beleaguered Malawi Communication Regulatory Authority (Macra) Director General Godfrey Itaye on Saturday  called for a meeting to discuss plans  to shutdown phone communication as well as social media platforms like WhatsApp.

Macra Boss Godfrey Itaye: Plot shutdown

Nyasa Times can reveal that Itaye and his directors will use the provision of the law in the Electronic Transactions and Cyber Security Act to force mobile phone companies to shutdown social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp and even phone calls.

Itaye is said to have received the instructions from the leadership of ruling party to make sure that WhatsApp is down so that innocent citizens are in the dark about the progress of the elections.

Insiders at MACRA said the meeting takes place in Blantyre at 5:30 Saturday.

“It is true that the DG called for a meeting  at 5.30pm,” said one Director who refused to be named.

Itaye sent about 75 junior employees to a retreat at Hapuwani Lodge in Mulanje for three days starting from Friday up to Sunday.

Insiders said Macra wants to the shutdown the public so that they do not have information of what is going on the elections day.

Itaye denied his organization has no plans to shut down the internet on Election Day.

“MACRA has never done that and its only security agencies that can do using the cyber law that exists,” Itaye said.

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) shut down its internet but after the vote   last year in December last year. Egypt is another country that jammed the phones and internet to impact an election.

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31 replies on “Macra plans to shutdown phones, WhatsApp on Malawi elections days”

  2. Godfrey Itaye,
    please don’t try it, this is evil and cruel. Stand for Malawians and not for DPP. DPP will go but Malawians will still be there

  4. Obviously a DPP zeelot wanting to keep his master in power by all means. Dont force your selves on us. Ngati a Malawi sakuvoterani ndizimene asankha kuchita. These are signs that you know you are going to loose thats why you are employing all these tactics kuti mube vote ya a Malawi. It is undemocratic and unacceptable.

  5. to shutdown communication so that they should be corruption during the period and that people we shouldn’t communicate of it till it come to pass thats crazy idea

  8. Iwe Itaye uyelekeze, takupatsa ulemu ochuluka pa office pano, koma udziwe izi: Tiulula zonyasa zonse zomwe anthu sakudziwa, akazako adziwa zina zomwe samadziwa ndipo pano sukhala.

  9. Munthu paja akatsala ndi masiku ochepa amoyo makutu sagwila ntchito,masiku anu ku Macra atha.

  10. Itaye wants to contribute to the suffering of Malawians by aiding illegal government to administer affairs of the nation with his moves to tamper with communication channels. Just wait and see, Mr Itaye.

  12. Why should MACRA keep Malawians in the darkness during the election ? In principle, the election is for Malawians to decide their destiny as such they should be given an opportunity to know and follow what is going on from the start to the end as far as election is concerned. In my opinion, MACRA is being remote controlled by unknown forces and the reason is either to avoid or rig the election.

  13. Malawi never ever allow election to take place without internet. Open your eyes, u mustn’t be in darkness where ur vote went to. Without Internet it’s cheating

  15. Indeed MALAWI government through reserve bank of malawi procured communication equipment from MOTOROLA for malawi police service. The equipment arrived at KIA and was cleared by police through an agent but the equipment has not been delivered to police. Those that saw the equipment being picked from KIA made follow up with the vehicle that carried the equipment. Instead of the vehicle branching to police headquarters at area 30 to deliver the equipment, the vehicle proceeded to blantyre allegedly to be delivered to Mr. Duncan Mwapasa who is currently in Blantyre so that it can be used to rig the election. Shame on Mwapasa for being involved in rigging the election.

  16. Koma ndalama inaphadi Yesu. Anthu abwinobwino asintha khalidwe chifukwa character corruption. Shame on you MACRA and shame on you Godfrey for selling your soul to the devil. Mukufuna muchite intimidate anthu kuti mupitilize kubela a Malawi eti. Your time is up. You work for Malawians not DPP. What is wrong with you? Your days are numbered.

    Shame on you!

  17. He is running out of idea on how to protect his job and the job of his father Muntharika. Why shuting down mobile line??

    It has never happened here so u want to introduce it now Itaye just to protect your job??

    Wether with shut down or not just know that u are packing this time around.

  18. by any means chilima akulamulila zikoli tatopa ndikubeledwa ndalama mumisonko yayikulu komaso yomangobedwa ndi okuba a dpp , ulendo uno mukutuluka mmbomamu muziwaso

  19. ndipo mumuhuze galu itaye aailetu masewela akewo ndikuhuzeni , new president ndi chilima ndipo sitilola zachibwana ndikuhuzeni

  21. 1994 there was no WhatsApp, Facebook, etc but the will of the people prevailed.

  22. Ndipo mungoyelekeza muona chomwe chinameta nkhanga mpala, kapena komwe kumapita zodula kusogolo kwa mbolo mwano onse ukuthera ndithu Friday isanafike.

  24. We have planned zoom conferences on that day with aid agencies that cannot be missed.

  26. Nkhani ndikukhala ndi chakudya ndi umoyo wabwino SKC wati fertilizer akhala pa K4,995.00 ma units a phone achosa msonkho, airtime achosa msonkho, madzi achosa msonkho apa mwanayu watola chikwama basi APM akapume kwinaku akacheze ndi zidzukulu zawasowa agogo awo.

  27. People have the right to know how the elections are going. Shutting down what’s app helps you how?? Stupid!!!

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