(MISA/IFEX) – A High Court injunction on 24 May 1999 restrained the pro-opposition Malawi Congress Party newspaper “National Agenda” from writing articles about a ruling party top official and her husband. Judge Maxon Mkandawire ruled that the paper should stop publishing articles about deputy campaign director for the ruling United Democratic Front (UDF) Mary Nyandovi-Kerr […]
(MISA/IFEX) – A High Court injunction on 24 May 1999 restrained the
pro-opposition Malawi Congress Party newspaper “National Agenda” from
writing articles about a
ruling party top official and her husband.
Judge Maxon Mkandawire ruled that the paper should stop publishing articles
about deputy campaign director for the ruling United Democratic Front (UDF)
Mary Nyandovi-Kerr and her husband, David Kerr, until a court case in which
the couple was complaining against the paper was settled. The couple had
taken the “National Agenda” to court for alleging that Nyandovi-Kerr was
caught having sex with her friend’s husband.
With the presidential and parliamentary elections just around the corner,
newspapers on both sides of the political divide have stepped up character
assassination campaigns.
There are currently eight very vocal pro-government newspapers on Malawi’s
streets and four equally vocal pro-opposition papers. Most of these have
only emerged or were resurrected with the election in sight.
