The Consumers Association of Malawi has urged the government to liberalize the fuel import market to address persistent shortages. John Kapito, the association's executive director, stated at a Sunday press briefing that current importation policies are insufficient to meet demand. He argued that opening the market to additional importers would improve supply reliability, even if it results in higher prices for consumers. Kapito noted that the conflict between the United States and Iran has disrupted supply routes, making it difficult for Malawi to secure adequate fuel even when foreign exchange is available.
According to Malawi 24, Kapito described the situation as painful for motorists who spend long periods at filling stations, sometimes without obtaining fuel. He warned that wealthy buyers are gaining an advantage in securing scarce supplies, leaving ordinary consumers with unreliable access. The executive director emphasized that availability is as important as price, arguing that low official prices are meaningless if products are not present. He urged the government to license new players willing to import fuel at prices reflecting current market conditions, rather than relying on existing arrangements that may prolong shortages.
In a separate development, Telekom Networks Malawi issued a security warning to its WhatsApp users following reports of compromised accounts. The telecommunications company advised users to enable two-step verification by navigating to WhatsApp settings and selecting the account option. TNM also warned users to keep verification codes private and avoid clicking suspicious links from unknown senders. The company encouraged users to regularly check their linked devices and log out of unfamiliar ones to prevent unauthorized access.
The security alert follows a reported wave of hacking incidents affecting WhatsApp Business accounts in Malawi and other countries. One affected user, Mathews Nthunzu Latwel, shared his experience in a Facebook post, noting that he lost access to his account despite having two-step verification enabled. He described receiving a verification code early in the morning, which he initially ignored, before eventually being logged out. Latwel questioned whether TNm had a connection to the incidents, observing that affected users appeared to be using TNM numbers. He appealed to the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority and Meta to investigate the reports, while TNM stated it was working closely with Meta to resolve the issue.