Macra, ­Malawi’s telecoms regulator has come out in defense of the recent phone tariff hikes imposed by the mobile networks citing currency devaluations and not a move to profiteer.

Clara Mulonya, Macra‘s Communications Officer said: “I understand that people would always complain in such circumstances and that is how it should be and as Macra we can always intervene in circumstances where the service providers turn to charge exorbitantly than expected.”

Mulonya was responsing to customer queries after price hike by phone operators in the country saying the hikes were unreasonable but she explained to the public that the hikes are due to the Kwacha’s devaluation by 49 percent last year. Kwacha is Malawi’s currency.

She added: “Macra in this case cannot decide what price such bodies should set on their services because they are forced by several external factors for example when you look at the economic environment in which we are in.”