Mutharika to fete Malawi journalists at Sanjika
Malawi’s new President Peter Mutharika plans to next week meet with journalists from all media houses in the country, including online Nyasa Times as Sanjika Palace in Blantyre on Friday, according to Ministry of Information.
Secretary for Information Ministry, Chimwemwe Banda said in an invitation that the presidential interface will be “an opportunity for the media to interact with the President on various issues pertinent to the [media] industry and the country.”
Government is sponsoring K30, 000 allowance and accommodation for journalists coming outside Blantyre, according to Banda.
President Mutharika faces economic challenges following donors withholding aid in reaction to a growing scandal over government graft known as Cashgate.
Malawi has relied heavily on foreign aid since independence and since 40 percent of country ’s budget comes from international donors.
Journalists including the Nyasa Times have welcomed the presidential interface, as a good idea as long as the media practitioners don’t lose sight of their agenda that they expect from government to table Access to Information Bill in parliament and President to sign the ‘Table Mountain Declaration’ that urges governments in Africa to abolish “insult laws” and set free press high on the agenda.
The ‘Table Mountain Declaration’ was issued following a World Association of Newspapers and the World Editors Forum meeting in Cape Town, South Africa.
The media has been urging government to expedite the adoption of the Access to Information Bill and also protect journalists from harassment and arbitrary arrests.
The Malawi Cabinet in February approved an access to information policy, setting the stage for introduction of ATI legislation.
Recently Malawian Minister of Information and Civic Education Kondwani Nankhumwa said he will soon present an access to information bill.
If that is true then Bravo bwana president!!!!!
Methinks this is an attempt by APM to gag these journalists and stop them criticising his government. People in power do not like criticism and I am sure APM is no exception. Journalists beware! Be true to your calling and resist all attempts to be muzzled. A free media is the basis of democracy.
PEOPLE MAKE NOISE TO BE SILENCED. OUR JOURNALIST ARE CORRUPT. BUT THERE WILL ALWAYS BE SOMEONE WHO WILL RISE TO TAKE THEIR PLACE, UNTIL SUCH A TIME WHEN HE ALSO WILL BE CORRUPTED.
adapita atolankhan amene amkafusa zenzen,charles vintula,unice chipangula,piliran phiri, enawa satha kufusa zofuna zamalaw,
zayambika kunyengelera anthu kenaka ayambe kutukwana akapanda kusiya kumulemba zoipa..the same ol’ cycle
IS THIS REALLY NECESSARY WHEN THE COUNTRY IS FACING ECONOMIC CHALLENGES AND GOVERNMENT IS SUPPOSED TO SPEND WISELY?????? WHY FEAST WHEN MONEY FOR ESSENTIAL SERVICES IS IN SHORT SUPPLY?????? IS THE BRAIN FUNCTIONING PROPERLY???
Basi nkhani ndiyomweyo ukakhala kuti suutha kuyemdetsa dziko umangokhalira ku honga basi cholinga kuti anthu asakuzuzule komabe ayi ndithu tiwona one day mmaka ykwana yoti tizazuzura sipaja mwatenga ma CSO Onse panopa mukuti ma journalist onse abwere kwa inuyo.
osayiwalatu kutenga atolankhani omwe ali ma district paja zikatere mumangotengana nokha nokha town mo omwe mukudziwana kuyiwala atolankhani omwe amakhala ma district. APM akawatseka pakamwa ma journalists ndi bans kikikikikikikikikiki
Anthony Kasunda, the chairman of NAMISA, should not be allowed to speak. With his joining the Blantyre City Assembly as the PRO, his stand has already been compromised. Please, please never allow him to speak on the behalf of NAMISA. Can you please instead ask someone else to talk on his behalf. Kasunda has chosen to be silenced by joining the Blantyre City Assembly. He no longer to have anything to do with journalism. He has joined a bunch of people who thrive on abusing the media.
Give a detailed report on what will happen after the meeting. Also ku Joni a Malawi bus caught fire yesterday nearing Messina and katundu of passengers was all burnt. Nyasa Times give us in4mation if you have heard.