BP&P hits back at ex Malawi News editor: Demands back K4.1m hospital bills
Printing media giant BP&P said yesterday it fired its weekly Malawi News Editor Limbani Moya after being advised by the country’s top most private hospital Mwaiwathu, which declared him unfit to continue working as a journalist, lawyer for BP&P Innocent Kalua confirmed to Nyasa Times.
“Around the year 2012, the applicant, Mr. Limbani Moya was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease …the ailment was so serious that he had been rendered unfit to report for work for a continous period of more than nine months during which period he had been in and out of hospital,” Kalua said in a court document filed as part of defense in a case in which Moya is suing the media house for unfair dismissal.
He added that BP&P terminated Moya’s employment at a time when the company was undergoing restructuring aimed at reducing payroll costs due to harsh economic conditions. Editor for Daily Times Damiel Nyirenda was also retrenched along other senior managers.
Kalua , in a court document titled Respondent ’statement of reply to the Industrial Relations Court of Malawi matter number 449 of 2014 says BP&P has in its possession a letter from Mwaiwathu Private Hospital on Mr Limbani Moya’s health status including invoices from a South African Hospital Carstenhof Private Clinic.
The ex-editor who is still unemployed, is expected to travel to India to have a kidney transplant after well-wishers through a task force (Friends of Limbani) successfully raised about K12 million tom enable him access expert treatment.
Malawi Vice President Saulos Chilima last Friday teed off at a charity golf function at Blantyre Sports Club to help raise funds for Moya whose sister donated her kidney in an effort to save his life.
Moya sued BP&P for unfair dismissal, a move which angered BP&P Chief executive Leonard Chikadya who cancelled a K100 000 donation towards the Limbani Moya fundraising efforts.
Chikadya also banned the media house from giving any coverage to the efforts including the Vice President’s charity golf assignment. All coverage has been done by BP&P competitor Nation Publications and numerous radio stations.
“You may wish to know that Mr. Moya during his illness, BP&P advanced him up to K7.8million for his medical treatment. He only paid back about K3.7 million. He owes BP&P K4.1 million which now BP&P is claiming back from Mr. Moya,” Kalua said in a statement which he signed and seen by Nyasa Times.
Mwaiwathu private hospital Chief Executive and Director Prof. Jack Wirima refused to comment saying they do not discuss patient’s issues in the media before cutting the phone.
When contacted for comment Moya said he is focused on his health and does not wish to comment on matters that are in court.
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God is watching mr manager, he is the owner of everything
A Chikadya, dziwani kuti moto umapita komwe kwatsala tchile. Mawa ndi inu ndipo mudzasowa anthu kudzakuthandizani. Matenda si chinthu choseka ayi. Ngakhale munamuchotsa ntchito muyenera kumuthandiza Moya. We do not correct a wrong with another wrong. Monga bwana mukanakumbukira zabwino zomwe Moya anachita potukula kampaniyo osati kulakwa kwake. Kumbukirani kuti Mfumu ndi kudzala
It proves to be difficult to appreciate illness of a colleague until at such a time we fall victim to it. kuno ndikunja tisamathe mau ndi matenda amnzanthu. Where is this issue coming from? Is it because he has been assisted and we want to rob him? Shame!
This is discrimination, we don’t fire HIV patients so why should Moya be fired? Bwana chikadya muzaona matenda akazakhala mnyumba yanu. You may pride of having lots of money but this decision is irresponsible unreasonable and foolish. I hope you will not regret this decision one day.
Many managers look at maximising human resource use to maximise their profits. Any sign of loss, they will be quick to sack. They are selfish and they look at the year end profit and the bonus they will make.
When you are facing a life and death situation like Mr Moya you can do anything. In my opinion Mr Moya has been unreasonable in suing a company that gave him over seven Million as a loan. On the other hand BP&P is not being considerate of Mr. Moya’s contribution to the newspaper. How much of the seven million was a grant? If Mr Chikadya and company did not give him any assistance then Mr Moya who had legitimate expectation of support can ask for it.
Achikadya Onetsani Mtima Wa Umunthu,mzanu Akapeze Thandizo Milanduyo Pambuyo Mnzanuyo Atachira.
Eeeh but Leonard Chikadya is an arsehole!!
Chikadya ndifiti
people lets look at this issue with a sober mind.every company and even the government have conditions of service .lets look at conditions of service for bp & p before we accuse the boss or moya
Most companies terms and conditions of service allow the employer to fire its employees for prolonged illness. Nonse mukubwebweta apa ndinu mbuli!
plse save moyas life
Most Malawian CEO’s & MD’s are like that. They are very hate full and petty cruel and inconsiderate. My CEO here in LLW laughs when bad things happen to staff below him, he makes friends with drivers in order to spy on you. He goes as far as sending thugs to attack you, and would be happy to bury any member of staff who does not agree with him. This is most rampant in Parastatals ! ….. We have something wrong in our society , we fear and worship cruel and powerful people , and take advantage of the humble and intelligent, considerate managers, you have to be ruthless to get to the top in typicall Malawian companies. I envy people who work in multinational organisations.
mtima wa mwala Satana ndi mwana kwa chikadya
This issue of Limbani Moya vs Chikadya is useless and unwarranted. Moya applied for work at Bp, was imployed and accepted the Terms and Conditions as laid down by the Co, so too Chikadya. So if Moya used the benefits within his entitlement there is no need for the Co and Mr Chikadya to expose the secrets of their Co to the general public. Chikadya may be executing powers invested in him correctly or otherwise. Therefore if I were Chikadya I would stop public debate on the matter. People will definately side with Moya for his suffering. What will the Co gain from the dying man who is even to the extent of begging for assistance to seek the necesarry medical attention? Shame on the author of whole episode. Mind you Moya did not apply for the suffering he is going through, he also would want to live the life. For Mwaiwathu Pvt Hospital, they did not advise Bp to fire Mr Moya but only told Bp that Moya is sick man. So Bp must or should have used their conditions of service. Am sure their lures do not say that you fire someone when is caught up in a situation/condition like of my dear Moya. So Mr Chikadya must behave like he too can dance to the same tune as Moya, though he can afford to fly to best hospitals world over. He too is a mortal. I beg to rest.
As commented by others, every company has its own conditions of service which details what to follow in the event of prolonged illness. BP & P is there to make profits and these profits will certainly reduce by keeping unproductive staff. Some companies have something like putting one on full pay for the first three months of prolonged illness, half pay for the next three months and no pay or asking the employee to resign beyond that. Let us not vilify Chikadya here. What would you yourselves have done if your house servant or maid was found with an illness that prevented him/her discharging his/her duties? Would you keep him/her and continue paying his/her wages every month? The other thing to understand is that all this was disclosed in court of law. It would be wrong if this was disclosed to the media. Mr Moya has sued BP&P for wrongful dismissal. All BP&P is doing is to prove that there was no wrongful dismissal. Mr Moya was rendered incapable of discharging his duties by his illness. You and me know that the only person qualified to give such judgement/opinion is a medical practitioner, and this is how Mwaiwathu comes into the equation.
People are employed to help themselves and to help the organisation. If someone is to be absent for a month in an organisation that you are managing, what can you do? Let us reason together reasonably.
I am appalled by sheer ignorance of labour laws exposed by most commentators here. Companies are not charitable organisations; there are there to make money to survive and grow. Labour laws force employers to pay for three months while on sick leave. If the employee is still sick then employers can keep him/her for extra six months while on half pay. Any period beyond that time you can be declared redundant. They can’t keep you forever. The reason is to give companies a chance to employ another fit person for the continuity of operations. Its up to the family and to a certain extent state to look after the sick. That’s why planning at family level is important; we need to learn to insure our lives through insurance companies. I sympathise with Limbani but I believe BP&P did its best. Don’t blame Chikadya. To me I believe Limbani is just ungrateful. And sometimes we should be mindful what we do to others. Limbani angered and wounded a lot of people in town by tarnishing their image in this defunct articles. Today he needs those people to donate for his recovery. Let’s be considerate in life. Impunity doesn’t help at all.
Achitsiru
Chikadya ukudzilembera za bwino wekha iweyo. Ndiwe mbuzi ya mano kusi. Kampani ya kamuzu imeneyo
A chikadya mufuna kutchuka pa zinthu zopusa basi? Kupereka mimba nokha? Nkhaza nokha? Koma ajazi anu ali pa mavuto zedi. Ndinua chitsiru zedi mudziwe zimenezo. Ofunika kupha munthu wachocho
A chikadya tatenga chitsabzo cha a vice president munthu wachisoni. Kodi inu umfitiwu mupita nawo pati?
All those supporting chikadya are fools and not malawians. Most likely its chikadya himself and his so many wives. A chikadya ndinu achitsiru company siyanu.
Did BP&P show Moya the letter from the hospital when terminating his services? We are told Moya maintained himself on a VIIP medical MASM scheme. So how much were the hospital bills? Was Chikadya advancing those loans from his personal pocket? An employer has an obligation to take care of its employees in time of need. BP&P retrenches people every year. Kodi economic hard times imakhudza BP&P yokha bwanji? WHy do other media house retain their staff? BVuto liri ndi Chikadya. Kuba too much. All the companies which miserably failed under him are now up and running sucessfully. eg Malawi Pharmacies, Tambala Foods etc. The owners of BP&P tulo too much. Kudyetsa chi banzi Chairman Pelekamoyo nkumati zikuyenda. Ngongole ku ma banki ziri mkhosi. Akanakhala ndi mnzeru akanangokhala chete osayankha nkhani za ku court. Ndiye poti even idiots run companies choncho.
Koma mabwana ena ndi a satana ndithuuuuu..!!!!!
I believe each company has conditions of service which are being followed to the letter somewhere.so some of us cannot comment much without clear and more importantly adequate knowledge of the T&C of service @ BNL as they relate to welfare of its employees
Why blame Chikadya here? He helped this Moya alot and Moya sues Co again? ?? Is this fair? If the hospital says unfit to work. .so you wanted Chikadya to force Moya to work? Bwenzi mukutinso fwefwefwe wankhanza.
Moya wanuyu is to blame. Why sue Co that helps you? See chikadya was even helping to raise money for Moya. If it were you guys what would you do? Moya is wrong here.
This Chikadya is a satanist. Chikadya you will die within three months. You are insensitive to life. You deserve to die and languish in hell with your father the devil
Is this a prophency or death threat? I cancel this death threat in Jesus name. Since the matter is in court, let the court give its ruling otherwise the issue is complicated to a layman like u and me
i didnt know that in malawi we have cruel pipo like Daily Times. I v stopped reading ur stupid paper and i v stoped watching ur stupid TV. We shall be watching zodiak, luso, joy and other tv stations whose owners have a heart. Munthu akudwala mukumuitanisa ngongole?
Chikadya ndi MFITI zedi, (George Nthindwa wa secularism akhoza kuvomereza ndithu)
Eeee! Che chikadya munalimba mtima eeee
This Chikadya guy is very very stupid Creature! Udzafa infa yaCHIDELU. GALU WACHABECHABE!
If indeed a private hospital like MPH advised BP&P to sack the editor, then Please Limbani Moya sue the hospital as well. What kind of idiot is Chikadya? The world is indeed full of idiots. After all ,what has Chikadya improved at the media house any way?
Do not play with moyo wa munthu misitsala
A Chikadya,mukudziwa kuti kuli moyo winanso ukatha wapansiwu????????.Mulitu busy kusamala za dziko la pansi ngati inu imfa muzaizemba….Pitirizani zomwe mukupangazo tione ngati company yanu mukuitetezayo izakwanitse kugula moyo wanu mukazadwala.A moyo,we wish you a quick recovery.There is always hope in God.
Lets not comment out of emotions. BP&P as a corporate entity has also rights which are protected by the law. While I sympathize with Moya, some comments are just exposing ignorance of some idiotic individuals
Leonard Chikadya, STOP THIS NONSENSE. It will take you nowhere, mark my words.
Amenewo ndiye alomwe
Why is this guy called Chikadya nthawi zonse kuipa mtima-nthawi zonse mangawa ndi nkhwizi. What does he gain from this by being cruel & hard hearted. Ufiti basi!!!
Brother Limbani God is on your side. A miracle will happen. God is great. Out of this something great will come out of it. Trust on Him, He is faithful to remove your thorn.
What is this nonsense by daily times? Chikadya U r a witch uzafa mowawa, I curse ur health and future
Iwe chikadya takhala ndi umunthu kampani siyagogo ako imeneyo
Chikadya wofunika kumuthena takatundu take kuti asiye nkhaza
Koma munthu woyipa ngati chikadya sindidawonenso
Chikadya woyipa zedi. Koma ali ndi mkazi ameneyo nkhaza zake zimenezi
Lenard chikadya ndi mfiti ya munthu. Nkhope yake ikuwonetseratu kuti chimunthu choyipa mtima. Kodi ndiwe shareholder kapena? Kapena ntchito basi? Koma ndiwe woyipa mtima zedi
Kodi a chikadya akukhala ngati kampani ya agogo awo bwanji? Ken Kandodo fire this cruel man please