The Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (Macra) is amidst drafting new laws in the telecommunications sector, one of the most notable laws being data costs.

Under the proposed Communications (Type Approval) Regulation 2020, Section 15(1) states that “a license shall provide a consumer with an option to roll over unused data before expiry date of the bundle”.

Recently, the Macra spokesperson Clara Ngwira said Macra was engaging stakeholders for input before submitting the draft regulation to the Ministry of Information. She outlined that the Communications Act gives the Minister of Information powers to make regulations for the operationalisation of the Act itself.

“Regulations are in fact laws so the minister is in fact making laws to supplement the Communications Act. Parliament has delegated this law-making power to the minister. However this power can only be exercised upon Macra’s recommendation,” Ngwira said.

For long, Malawians have complained against exorbitant data charges, while accusing the Internet Service Providers for maxing out the data before it is in use.