LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)—The Malawi Parliament has reduced presidential powers on the appointment of board members of Malawi Broadcasting Cooperation (MBC) and Malawi Communication Regulatory Authority (Macra) following the passing of the communication Bill.The August House on Tuesday, July 5 made amendments in the bill and were adopted. The amendment to the bill was tabled by Samuel Kawale who is the Chairperson of Parliamentary committee.
This means that once the bill is assented into law, Public Appointments Committee of Parliament (Pac) will start screening all MBC and Macra boards’ appointment made by the head of state before they start working.
The new law will among other things recognize the convergence of technology and services for telecommunications, broadcasting and information through establishment of technology and service-neutral licensing regimes.
The law will even remove unnecessary barriers to entry, attract investments in the communications sector and encourages the adaptation of new services and technologies within the communications sector.
The much talked Consolidated ICT Regulatory Management System (Cirms) machine has therefore some conditions when it’s in use that will be a must limited to service assurance, consumer protection and quality assurance.
However, the law still gives the head of state as an appointing authority for MBC and Macra board members.
“The committee was of the view that it was important for there be checks and balances in the appointment process to ensure that the law is being followed and that qualified individuals are being appointed as board members. And it should be a mandatory for the President to have gender sensitive when making these appointments.
“Much as it is imperative for Macra to have powers to electronically monitor compliance and enforcing bill’s provision, it has to be guarded against contraventions to privacy of individuals and against abuse of capabilities of such measures Cirms,” said Kawale.
Patricia Kaliati, Minister of Information trashes allegations that the new law has trimmed presidential powers arguing that the involvement of Pac in the appointment was just a continuation of what happens in other bodies.