Arrested Malawi genius radio owner freed
The arrested primary school dropout who established a community radio station using two used transistors in the Mulanje district has been freed. His release followed efforts from community members who listened to the 21-year-old Gabriel Kondesi’s ingenuity.
The villagers raised K14, 000 ($100) to free the boy while his father sold part of his property to prevent the boy from spending time in jail.
“I think people got so much used to my radio because I started broadcasting some three years ago,” said Kondesi.
He was surrounded by proud villagers upon his release.
Meanwhile, Zodiac Broadcasting Station’s (ZBS) Managing Director, Gospel Kazako, travelled all the way from Blantyre to Mulanje with the intention of freeing the boy. ZBS is one of Malawi’s leading private radio stations.
Kondesi had initially failed to pay the K50, 000 ($358) fine Mulanje Second Grade Magistrate Lameck Mkwapatira handed him last Friday. He said the thought of going to jail for his creativity scared him.
Kazako said: “As broadcasters, we need to support fellow broadcasters whenever they are in trouble. I don’t actually understand when courts should grant suspended sentences but, as a radio man, I am here to appreciate that this boy is a genius.”
Kazako repaid the boy’s father to cover his cost. “We could not raise the money so we sold our TV, a DVD Player and four bags of cement to raise the money. I also got some money from my friends, money I will repay.”
The Standard 7 dropout was arrested on October 14, 2009 for operating a radio station called Pachikweza without a Malawi Communications Authority license.
He said his radio was also broadcasting even in Mozambique.
He comes from Soza Village in the area of Traditional Authority Njema in Mulanje district.
Yes, he is really a genuis. As a scientist, I am proud of this boy. Macra should consider registering the boy now. He has an audience. He rules the area which he was covering. Macra management, you don’t want to appreciate innovation? Can’t you appreciate that somebody who dropped from standard 7 has performed wonders. He is like Isaac Newton whom I am told, was weeded from a university but his established laws we still use them now. And find out what type of education has Bill Gates. These are real geniuses who use unlearned knowledge. People spend a lot of foreign currency to buy radio equipment from abroad, but this boy used some local things. I am saying local because he used waste material. We call this ‘waste reuse’. His innovation could assist in saving our foreign currency, by employing his ideas. I hope my friends from Poly especially electronic engineers will involve him in some sort of research, but do not steal his ideas.
I have also to thank Gospel Kazako. You are really a Malawian and you have the poor people of Malawi at your heart. You are my role model. Please continue, but do not join politics because that will be your end. May God Bless you and your radio.
The boy might be a genius but the fact remains that he flouted the law. The Communications Act is a law that was passed by parliament, assented by the president. Nobody is above the law achimwene.Even if the boy developed a plane, he would need to follow some aviation laws to fly, isnt it so?
Is’nt this where Education comes in instead of punishing this young man? Remember he is a Standard 7 drop out for God sake! How many University of Malawi are familiar with Telecommunication Laws? Give me a break where is compassion and understanding?
the malawi justice system is a joke, first time offenders of petty crimes that require a work of of a genius get suspended sentences, this boy can make a difference in developing malawi,
From the boy who harnessed the wind to propel electricity and water to radio station inventor.Some similarities, both young people who could not afford School fees and very intelligent. Perhaps it is almost time to wake up and form and organization that encourages innovations/creativity and offering rewards instead of punishment. These young people are gifted and it is time to support them. Perhaps the Ministry of Education could take lead in such Projects. I would be very happy to collaborate in such venture and could be reached at P.O. box 3083, Louisville, Ky 40201, USA.(i.e. if anyone in Malawi or in the diaspora would be interested in such an endevour). It is time to inspire our children and uplift them to dream big. Encourage them to even dream of becoming the President of Malawi! Gone are the days of threats! (If anyone knows how to reach the parents of this young man please forward me the information, I would like assist to offset the financial cost incurred due to Court proceedings).
Mr Muyenza
Just contact Gospel Kazako. he may be of help since he was there ans am told he ably repaid the father
Nchivichi, thanks for your suggestion. I will write Mr. Gospel Kazako. May God bless our Children and the Land of Malawi!
Log on to http://www.zodiakmalawi.com you will find Gospel Kazako there.
Thanks, I have e-mailed Mr. Kazako.
I really appreciate prompt feedback.
Yes, you can contact Gazako Gospel through Zodiak Broadcasting station. Try these numbers, of course with +265 01 at the begining: 761593, 762524, 762525, 762526, 762724, 762557, 761227, 761366 or 761404. Atleast one of them will work.
Thanks very much!! Uku ndiye kukhala!!
God Bless you!
let all scientists gang up with this young man to realise his potential Innovation is what we need in Malawi.Shame on old good for nothings who pounce on helpless rural people jump to the next planet
Concerned lecturer
I have always believed that we have alot of geniuses in Malawi and one of them is this one. Why arrest the boy in a country where the public broadcaster is always broadcasting programs for politicians? It means people in this community enjoyed listening to his radio for a break from a political rally etc. Kamkwamba was not arrested for generating electricity for his community though he didnt have a license from MERA. Instead he won public attraction and awards. This boy also deserves credit.
Ofcourse I know the reason why broadcasting has such strict rules is nothing other other than political!
BRAVO GABRIEL AND THANKS TO GOSPEL FOR THE HAND IN HIS RELEASE!
These are people who should be supported. Koma akupondelezedwa. The boy is a genius. I can bet their are people working for MBC or TVM who are not as sharp as this boy.
Please Malawi, create opportunities for your people. People may resort to doing illegal things because they are not given opportunities.
By the way Nyasa times, what has happened to the six TV stations MACRA promised us? Has the issue died a natural death? Koma MACRA is full of dull people. Chonde Nyasa Times, find out is going on there.
And by the way, have they paid Joy Radio the K14 million? Please Nyasa Times, make sure they dont get that money from our taxes. It should come from their salaries.
Charity, you rightly put it. MACRA is full of dull people. No wonder they made sure a geniuse is arrested. They cant promote innovation because they are not innovative.In the first place, they dont even know what innovation means. It had to take a genius in the name of Gospel Kadzako to go and save a fellow genius. MACRA is full of low level headed people from their board chairman, to the management, to all those prostitutes and their dull legal team. No wonder they are jealous of Zodiak and they are felling to give them a TV license. Do you think Brite Malopa and Chimwemwe Banda can stand Gospel Kadzakos creativity? By far they cant. And then their is Tailosi Bakili at Joy TV. These are creative sons of Malawi. Charity, forget about those TV licenses. It was only lip service from MACRA . Continue ‘enjoying’ TVM.
u have commented quite right except for macra composed of dull people withdrawl that statement madame.This man is indeed a star sukuludi simathero.am also proud to hear that mark-katsonga was there also to support the lad.Esteemed patrotic malawans lets join hands and support pachikweza radio interms of all legal arrangement for the licence.am also going there to pose with him like gospel.
MACRA is one of the few parastatals in Malawi that are doing well financially.This says a lot about management of MACRA. They are all geniuses. Bravo to MACRA! A charity ngati a ku MACRA anakukanani ntchito, izo ndi zanu ife zisatikhuze.What the police have done is good. They have followed the law to the letter. What if the radio was used to jeopardise our national security? would you would turn around to blame the police for not closing down the station. BRAVO POLICE, BRAVO MACRA, BRAVO BINGU!
These things have always been there in 1980’s there were many guys who used to vandalise telephone booth and make radios from parts they got from the ear piece. Palibe nkhani apa! Some even used to tap ESCOM power.
Iwe nawenso apa!! Those people who used to vandalise the Telephone Boths used to make the actual radios not a radio station!!
Udzimvetsa usanakomente!! Tachoinerani!!!!
So you are saying taping Escom power should be torelated? With this type of thinking Malawi cant develop.
ambuye, tamayamikaniko za anzanu nthawi zina
Ade, how can you say such a comment I suppose you are somewhat narrow minded. If this was done by a white person you could be amongst those clapping hands for him shame on you Niger.
Open a bank account for the guy so that well wishers like us can support the guy financially. He should go back to school. Bravo young professor.
Ade,
Nsanje bwanji? Nkhani koma zikhale za politics, this boy is a genious looking at his education backgroud(Std 7 drop out) one is insipired with his innovation.
Or, probably, they even don’t know they are breaking the law. They are still young and do not even know the jagons of the judicial system! I would even not hand a sentence to such a boy, but rather learn from him on how he does things, at a University research centre or the like.
Gospel is a genius too for doing what he did.Not many Malawians would have come to the boy’s recue.
May God continue to bless you richly Gospel for doing wonderful work in Malawi
Ignorance of the law is not defence. If you defile a 10 year old and in court you say I didnt know that defiling a ten year old is a crime, the court will proceed to jail you.
This young man should not have been arrested. Its high time courts and the police stop dealing with petty issues when some people have in prison for years and their cases have not even been reviewed. All MACRA needed was to give him ultimatum to come up with a fee to register his radio station by a given time basi. Why are we so cheap?
This makes the QUOTA system make sense. How many kids like this have we left out in Malawi because of zothandizana pachibale tikakhala mpipando.
Take it from me, implement QUOTA, in 4 -5 years time you will start fishing out such consealed treasures in Malawi.
Shame to MACRA. That’s why Africa is still poor. We don’t appreciate potential. Shame to the Laws.
When parliament is making laws it represents the wishes of the people. So if you say shame the laws, you are also indirectly shaming yourself. What a dull person you are.