Government interdicts civil servant for writing article exposing poor safety standards at airport
(MISA/IFEX) – A Malawian civil servant has been interdicted for writing an article exposing poor safety standards at Malawi’s international airports. MacDonald Mukorongo, a senior assistant air traffic controller, was interdicted on 11 September 1997 after his article outlining the obsolete civil aviation equipment in Malawi and its dangers to travellers was published in “The […]
President Bakili Muluzi and his wife sue two newspapers for defamation
Malawi President Bakili Muluzi and wife, Anne, have each sued two privately-owned newspapers for defamation. Deputy Registrar of the High and Supreme Courts, Winter Qoto, stated that President Muluzi has sued “The Tribute”, a weekly newspaper, for alleging that the President had fraudulently acquired land worth half a million Malawi Kwacha (about US$ 33, 000). […]
MBC dismisses journalist, suspends editor and warns announcer reportedly over coverage of opposition party rally
Hastings Maloya, a radio journalist working for the state-run radio broadcaster Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC), has been dismissed. In a statement issued on 26 August 1996, MISA-Malawi reported that Maloya was dismissed for covering an opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) rally held in Malawi’s commercial city, Blantyre. MISA-Malawi also reported that editor Francis Chikunkhuzeni was […]
President Bakili Muluzi threatens to use sedition laws against opposition politicians who insult him
Malawi President Bakili Muluzi has warned opposition political parties that he would resort to sedition laws against politicians who insulted him. On 17 June 1996, the local media reported Muluzi accusing his opponents of using “bad language under the guise of democracy and free speech” to slander him and the ruling United Democratic Front party. […]
President Bakili Muluzi warns media about “inaccurate reporting”
Source: Reuters On 14 May 1996, Malawi President Bakili Muluzi warned journalists that he would not tolerate what he called “inaccurate reporting” which harmed the country’s image. Muluzi was apparently angered by a newspaper report which alleged that a local company had given him a free vehicle in order to give that company favourable treatment. […]
Increasing interference reported at Malawi Broadcasting Corporation
The former head of the current affairs desk at the Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC), Albert Ndarama, has been dismissed from the corporation in what he considers to be a politically motivated move. Ndarama told MISA he received notice from the MBC on 16 May terminating his contract with the corporation with immediate effect. The notice […]
Journalist questioned and subpoenaed as state witness in politicians’ trial
Journalist Chinyeke Tembo, of the Malawian daily newspaper “The Nation”, faces possible imprisonment for refusing to testify in the upcoming trial of two leaders of the Malawi Democratic Party (MDP). Tembo has written to Chief State Advocate Enoch Chibwana to say he would not appear as a state witness at the trial of the two […]
Ministerial pressure on paper is “more than family row,” says MISA
A newspaper is under pressure from a cabinet minister following the paper’s publication of a story speculating that the minister wanted to resign from cabinet. “The Weekly Chronicle” led its 3 July 1995 edition with a story headlined “Patel resigns?”, in which an unnamed source disclosed that then-Minister of Mines and Energy Rolph Patel had […]
Theatre group could face prosecution
The state is considering prosecuting a theatre group because of its performances of a play referring to the murder of four politicians during the regime of former dictator Kamuzu Banda. An Associated Press (AP) report carried in the 17 March 1995 edition of the South African “Weekly Mail and Guardian” newspaper says that Malawi’s Chief […]