Member of Parliament for Neno North, Thoko Tembo, has emphasized the need for policymakers and internet rights activists to advance the accessibility and affordability of internet services in Malawi.

Tembo made the remarks during a panel discussion on the sidelines of Africa Internet Governance Forum underway in Lilongwe.

He said the country has nothing tangible on the ground in terms of access to internet and affordability.

"There has been less engagements between policy makers and telecommunication companies that are providing internet services," he said.

Tembo said the Data Must Fall campaigns, which the companies are advocating, are mostly short-term and not long-term initiatives because they are not backed up with a policy.

"Indeed data bundles have reduced recently but they are promotions and a short term initiatives, he said.

Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR) Executive Director, Michael Kayiyatsa, said as government, policymakers and companies are discussing internet governance in the region there is need to critically look at the rights of the users.

"More need to be done on cyber security to protect the rights of people," he said.

Kaiyatsa said cybercrimes affecting the rights of many people has been on the increase both in Malawi and the continent as a whole.