A DEVIL CALLED ICT REGULATORY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (The spy machine)

Recently the Malawi technological boom has been cocooned in a web of an innovation that is supposed to improve the monitoring and improving quality but also regulate phone services as well as the internet services. This is one of those things worth commending considering that we are the first within the SADC region to have such a system….yes Malawi it is. It must be noted that this regulatory management once implemented wont spare anyone not even the president himself, I rather don’t subscribe to assertions made the other day by one official from Macra who in an interview with the local media claimed that the tool does not have any output port or connected device. For any working system its essential that there is input, some form of processing and then an output in whatever desired form and such systems usually have input and output points therefore it’s a none starter for this official to feed the nation with such crap. I for one am not against the introduction and implementation of such a system to our technological buzz neither do I detest that there are some rotten immoral motives behind this system. I just like many that keep expressing their minds do believe that this system will likely infringe on the privacy of subscribers connected to the different networks and systems as conversations (phone calls) and messages (e-mails, text messages) are likely to be eavesdropped. It must be noted that not all those trained and with the technical know how to operate this system are operate in good faith. Just as the regulatory body is vehemently working for the implementation of this system other people are also working on a list of who to and not to keep a close eye on……you know a taste of their own medicine. I foresee a lot of persecution, sedition all under the pretext of regulation. But this technology too has got its other side that if not careful can be detrimental, let me remind you of a few trends gone by. Do you remember that leaked clip some years back in which the current sitting president was in conversation with Gustav Kaliwo the then ACB chief telling him to shake them up… (who ever they were I don’t know)? Do you remember the leaked pornographic material implicating one Mr. Nkungula and the wife of one renowned lawyer? Just recently, the Prof. peter Mutharika one which apparently cost some journalist his job The list is just endless of some of the se leaked conversation that most people have which if can be leaked would seriously land one in Maula. No one not even the government can run away from the fact there is a lot of leaked conversations, messages and if this was apparent when there was no the so called CIRSM devil, what would happen if it gets implemented? But wait a minute….. Why is it that most of the unpopular things in Malawi are vehemently backed up? Why does government cling to issues that are not wanted and welcome by their very citizens? Just like the flag change, rabid policies in parliament (injunction, police bill), executive arrogance, this too (the regulatory system) will be pushed and pushed though its viewed to be a thorn in our technological flesh for many, remember the case of some famous news paper in the UK facing serious allegations for tapping through peoples conversations and later on publishing such…..could it be a similar case here in Malawi when we will one day wake reading peoples tapped conversations in some of these dubious newspapers flocking our streets? This CRSM is a mercenary that needs to be dealt with forthwith, nobody would fleely send mails, texts and make phone calls for fear of the so called monitoring and regulation, but these officials must know that there are one or two cunning and inquisitive boys who would want to know what their own boss right there at Macra are up to even these big fish within high ranking offices maybe even the president so long they subscribe to the local networks…..I cant wait for such leaks under the wise and dynamic leadership of the most high. Much as we are living in a global village where technology is the order of the day we must also be weary of some of the benefits and implications of introducing such systems but also looking at the timing. Just another boiling thought!