Its Kasakula vs Khanje in MISA Malawi elections
Battle lines have been drawn at the forthcoming Media Institute for the Southern Africa (MISA) Malawi chapter elections and its a two horse race for the top post.
Nation Publications Limited (NPL) Weekend Nation editor George Kasakula will face Blantyre Newspapers Limited (BNL) business editor Thom Khanje for the position of chairman on December 13 in Lilongwe.
Speaking in an interview with Nyasa Times, Kasakula said: “I want to run for the position because I believe I have the ability, maturity and stature to take the organization to greater heights and make every journalist proud of their profession in this country.
“My vision is simple, I want to see more interaction of journalists at all levels, get them demand driven and home grown training and find ways of improving their welfare together with other organizations of like minds.”
He added: “Let us not lose sight of the fact that this is a regional body whose core values are to foster free, independent and diverse media. There is a lot of unfinished business in that regard. We have Access to information Bill which is yet to see light of day although there is hope with the present government promising to take it to Parliament. I will work hard day and night, if elected, to make sure the media and other stakeholders in Malawi get this weapon.”
Khanje, who is the current vice chairman and only eligible member in the outgoing National Governing Committee to stand, on the other hand, said: “My contesting is not about bringing changes but continuing from where the current leadership has stopped only that I want to take it to a greater height.
“I believe I am only the link of continuity with my experience, I have ideas of how to mould a successful MISA chapter because I know where we are coming from and a good direction for a bright future for journalists locally.”
“Though our main is to fight for media freedom, we cannot run away on the issues of journalists welfare, we look into the issues of salaries too,” he said.
Meanwhile, Times TV has organised a debate for the two contenders to share their vision for Misa Malawi and media freedom in general.
The television debate to be moderated by Brian Banda will be held on Friday, November 21, 2014 at the Old Mutual Auditorium from 6 pm.
Misa is a media rights watchdog .
Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :
George is d best option btwn d two. He has all wat it takes to be a journalist.
I have not read much of Khanje’s writing, but Kasakula certainly goes around sniffing for anything negative about the north. So tribalistic! I urge REAL Malawian journalists not to vote for him.
By the way, where are you lady journalists – Penelope, Suzgo, Cheu, Marie, Sibongile etc etc?
George Kasakula is the better of the two.
George Kasakura is better than Thom in all aspects, academically, professionally as well as in articulating the values and aspirations of fellow journalists.
I will ask at ahoy about the Alfred FriendlyScholarship which he scandalised and since then no one from Malawi has benefitted from the training. Let us not make the mistake of getting people whose credentials are dubious. As a matter of fact Thom has no credentials professionally. Kasunda was a form four guy and we cannot take this organization to greater heights with form four men. Lets us see and emulate other professional organizations which are led by people with proper qualifications in their respective professions. not Thom.
I Totally agree with 11. Thom is very tribalistic. Professionally he is also not mature. He will sell us all to DPP. He does not inspire confidence.
Between the two I would go for George. Apart from his academic credentials he is less of a DPP diehard. THOM was among the first people to accompany Mutharika on his first external trip as president of this country. Why. He was being rewarded for his role in ca,painting for DPP. He is still very much DPP at heart. THOM has little to contribute in terms of bringing pride to the organization. He does not even have a diploma in journalism. He was fired from a scholarship in the US for plagerism and fled to the UK. This was when… Read more »
Vote George, adagometsa azungu pa Leeds university. He is good.
Khanje will carry the day,he is principled. osati zinazi.Bravo khanje.
You want to know the people who hate the TRUTH? It’s simple, they’ll tell you they HATE George Kasakula’s Diary!!! Man, I just love people who are straight, no mincing of words, calling spades by their baptism names…