Khanje donates to Moya fund as Tenthani pumps in  Mutharika’s K50,000  handout

Times Group Head of Business News Thom Khanje has donated K50,000  (about $100)towards the Friends of Limbani, an initiative aimed at raising money to support  former Malawi News editor  Limbani Moya’s kidney transplant in India.

Limbani, who flew to India on November 20 2014, requires an extra K1.25 million (about $2 500) to finance his anti-rejection injection bill.

Khanje, who is also Misa-Malawi vice chairperson, said he decided to make the donation on humanitarian grounds and as one of the people who initiated the campaign.

“I was one of the initiators and the one who invited fellow media members into the initiative. I therefore feel obliged to make another contribution to the fund as I want it to succeed until Limbani returns home healthy,” said Khanje.

He said the money is from his own income and should not be confused with cash some journalists are busy returning to State House or donating for charity after receiving ‘allowance’ when they attending a media interface with President Peter Mutharika at Sanjika Palace in Blantyre .

“I’m not one of the people who received the allowances from State House. In fact, I did not attend the event,” said Khanje.

Friends of Limbani Chairperson Anthony Kasunda have since hailed Khanje for donation.

“That’s a good gesture. Thanks to Mr. Khanje,” said Kasunda.

Meanwhile, authoritative columnist and journalist Raphael Tenthani has also donated the cash handout from Mutharika to Moya fund, saying journalists did not deserve the allowance for just attending the meeting.

“We were given the impression that we are going to receive a booklet detailing President Mutharika’s vision of a free press in Malawi only to discover the package included a blank notepad, a pen and an envelope containing K50 000,” said Tenthani of the State House ‘allowance’ which critics branded it as Mutharika’s bribe to media practitioners.

Weekend Nation editor George Kasakula returned the envelope to the responsible officials at the same function.