(MISA/IFEX) – On November 22, 2006, the National Media Institute of Southern Africa (Namisa) – also known as MISA Malawi – petitioned Malawi’s President Bingu wa Mutharika on the conduct of the State House Press Officer, Chikumbutso Mtumodzi. The petition is in response to a letter that Mtumodzi wrote to Blantyre Newspapers Limited (BNL) on […]
(MISA/IFEX) – On November 22, 2006, the National Media Institute of Southern Africa (Namisa) – also known as MISA Malawi – petitioned Malawi’s President Bingu wa Mutharika on the conduct of the State House Press Officer, Chikumbutso Mtumodzi.
The petition is in response to a letter that Mtumodzi wrote to Blantyre Newspapers Limited (BNL) on November 13, 2006, barring its reporter Maxwell Ng’ambi from interviewing the President or attending any State function because, according to Mtumodzi, he is a convict.
The letter said the State House feels “unprotected to have Ng’ambi covering the State President and other senior officials.”
On September 4, 2006, Ng’ambi was found guilty of committing criminal libel. He was given a six-month suspended sentence by the Lilongwe Magistrate Court and paid a fine of Kwacha 10,000 (approx. US$100).
In its petition, Namisa advised the President that the State House Press Officer was supposed to foster relationships between the State House and the media, whilst also projecting a positive image of the Presidency.
“Unfortunately, Mr. Mtumodzi uses his position to harass fellow journalists and heads of media houses, most of whom shaped him into a recognized journalist, and thereby painting a bad image of your office,” the petition reads in part.
Namisa further expressed its fears that the media would get tired of the conduct of Mtumodzi at the State House, a development that might negatively affect the rapport between the Presidency and citizens.
