TVM ordered to downplay news on Joyce Banda
The ‘Big Kahuna’, President Bingu wa Mutharika, has ordered state television not to give prominence to news coverage of the Vice President, Right Hon Mrs. Joyce Banda, Nyasa Times has learnt.
TVM sources said coverage on the Vice President who has been having numerous official engagements has been scaled down due to “orders from the Big Kahuna”.
“There have been orders that we should not give prominence to the Vice President and that we should actually give her a blackout,” said a senior TVM member of staff claiming to be on holiday.
Banda is reported to have broken ranks with President Mutharika who is grooming his brother to succeed him as President in 2014 elections when his term expires.
The Vice President is accused of forming parallel party structures to enhance her ambitions to contest for the top job. However, she is on record to have rebutted reports that a task force to agitate for her candidacy has been formed.
However, JB, as the Vice President is affectionately called, is likely to slug it out with the President’s brother, Prof Peter Mutharika who is the Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister for the ruling DPP party’s nomination for presidential candidate in those elections.
The Vice President is seen as a front-runner for the position as many believe she can offer stability and continuity. Banda, the wife of former Chief Justice, Richard Banda who is serving as chief judge in Swaziland, comes from Malemia village in Zomba district.
She was recently installed as the country’s goodwill ambassador for safe motherhood, and formerly founded the National Association of Business Women (NABW) in Malawi. For this role, she (jointly with President Joaquim Chissano of Mozambique) was awarded the 1997 Africa Prize for Leadership for the Sustainable End of Hunger by the Hunger Project, a New York-based non-governmental organization.
In addition, she owns the Joyce Banda Foundation, a primary and secondary school foundation situated in Chimwankhunda, Blantyre.
JB also enjoys the support of most young women between the ages of 17 and 40 who look at her as their role model. She also enjoys the support of political leaders from all regions including Goodall Gondwe, the Leader of Government in Parliament.
Prof. Peter Mutharika, the president’s brother, on the other hand, is a distinguished scholar having taught International and Economic Law at various reputable universities around the world.
Meanwhile, the succession plan in the ruling DPP will remain a source of instability in the party as jostling to be on the side of the right candidate intensifies. This is likely to result in several disrupted political careers as some highly qualified people who may still be waiting on the wings to succeed the incumbent president Mutharika get disgruntled or give up.
nanensotu che boss wa ndikuwadabwa! achitika utumbuka zedi. mwakamba bwino bambo/mai fra kuti onse atchulidwawa ali kale musitima ikumilayi, bwanji sakutithangata panopa when their so called vast experise is needed more than ever before. in any case, zochita kusankhilana ma succesor zi kodi zidzatha liti? can’t we try civilised politics, perhaps the AMERICAN MODEL? Come on, it’s possible! these stupid and timid politicians think Malawians are too dull to decide their own destiny? TIONANA 2014, these annointed succesors will see what BINGU saw in 1999-REMEMBER? ask your friend if you have forgotten!
Dr Chaponda wakhala mtumbuka lero kapena Dr Mwalwanda is now a tumbuka then Muluzi will also bcome a tumbuka
I have been reading news coverage in this forum.I have enjoyed some positive criticism on our leadership in Malawi in the current ruling administrations and members of opposition. What sickens me is all the tribal name calling. I surely think this is very primitive and backward think. Yes we should not condone with nepotism and any tribal groupings! We need to continue to forge ahead establishing a system of governance that represents MALAWI. We are all Malawians of diverse cultural backgrounds and ought to embrace all these unique cultural heritages in a positive manner. If at there was a message that Dr. Banda tried to instill in Malawians was that N0 regionalism. When are we going to get our acts together. If you do not have anything positive to say then do not say anything at all. I really thinks there are many ways to criticize our leadership without tribal name-calling. I am from Central Region and I entirely oppose the Quote System. I also oppose the overloading of vital positions of government, private sector and statutory bodies from members of one tribe. I hope there are some who agree with me and will join in voicing!! No more tribal name calling!!! We are all MALAWIANS of beautiful diverse cultural backgrounds!
Whats the connection for the people mentioned(Dr caponda, Dr Mwalwanda and Dr Muluzi ) to the story ya VP?
This article is very questionable…UNRELIABLE to b frank. The source of the information seems not to be stated clearly. It smells like one of those new headlines that will grab a readers attention for the sake of it! NO MATERIAL FOR ONE LOOKING FOR CONSTRUCTIVE POLITICAL DEBATE…
MUSIYENI BINGU NTCHITO ZAMANJA AKE ZIMUCHITIRE UMBONI POPWASULA CHIPANI CHA DPP.
The Bingu Kahuna is losing it, with his own hands!!! Sipatenga nthawi pomwe tiona pansupansu, kutha ngati makatani chipani ichi. Mwina achikulirewa akufuna akuyendera yoti: “If I don’t get it thru my brother, then nobody else will from the DPP”. How long can we be taken for a ride???
KUNE,a simple observation that I haven’t agreed with you from your comment is that Malawi has a lot of PhDs though no progress. I think we are still far away from achieving even the least required human resource at PhD level. Why? Just go to our Universities where teaching posts should have been filled by PhD holders, uuh you will not find them. I work with the University and I know what I’m talking about. It’s very difficult for Universities to develop in Malawi with low staff qualifications. Most PhD Malawian PhD holders don’t stay, they go for better jobs. Now, on leadership, I think there is no one who can perfectly be an all rounder. I believe a good leader is the one who is ready to put key pple with required technical know how and be able to listen, ably evaluate their advice and make informed decisions. Any leader who is so wise by themselves are bound to fail.
Zovutatu izi. Ndale sizamaseweratu.
I like the way some fellows have missed the point, instead they have looked at the names mentioned. CheBOSS is just a Malawian and not a Tumbuka. The point I am trying to raise is that our nation has created a problem of its own. The problem of praising leaders has failed as. As a country, we work together and every effort should be appreciated. We created a GOD in Kamuzu and he slowly started believing that he was one. While Kamuzu contributed through his work, it did not require the nation to praise him to that level. The same mistake has been made on Bingu. He has done well in the last five years to the point that he is a Ngwazi. Now what do we do in the situation that the economy is now? What shall we call him? Should we now take away that title of the Ngwazi? We are blaming IMF and World Bank when things are not good. I wonder why we never praised them (IMF and WORLD BANK) when things were good? I only mentioned those Economist, considering the fact that they have shown an interest in Politics hence can also offer solutions. Bingu is not the only Economist of political interest. We might have several Economist with PhDs in Malawi but not all have shown interest in politics. The only other one I knew was late Dr Kalonga Stambuli. So yes, Bingu should really know that there are other Malawians capable to contribute with their knowlegde and international exposure on the direction of the economy. The best advise I can give Bingu is to consider setting up an Economic Advisary Committe that can assist him. Bingu might be good but knowledge can never be monopolised. In times of crisis one needs others. We have useless posts of Presidential advisors in Malawi like in those of Ntaba, and others. What Bingu requires is the good think thank of expertise on the Economy. Atleast guided properly that can assist. Hence, I proposed for a Presidential Economic Advisory Committe which should include some of the people mentioned like Dr Chaponda, Dr Godall Gondwe, Dr Du Mhango, Dr Cornelius Mwalwanda, etc while academics could be included, but I feel practical experience of these individuals having worked in international financial institutions just like Bingu would assist. If anyone has other names let them be included. We should not look at tribe but rather the contribution on the table. The committe should be not be guided by whether one is an MP or not, Minister or not. It should be a real think tank for our Ngwazi to tap into other peoples expertise. For now, posts of Ntaba are really not necessary or helping us. Kaliati did a better job to defend the Government in tough times, now that DPP is in Majority, they must just focus on strenghthening their position and do what they know best,, fixing the economy. I beg my Ngwazi to consider the Presidential Economic Advisory Board/Council. Our Ngwazi is also human. Indeed he has done well but under these tough economic times lets not forget that blaming him alone will not solve our problems. We need to work together as a nation to take us through this. Bingu also needs us and it will be no good that we should be isolating him. Bingu should not only look at MPs as possible areas to tap for Ministerial posts, he has the majority and there is no need for that. Otherwise he will limit his resources, as the majority of our MPs indeed has not demonstrated any level of international exposure. In any debate, if your knowledge is restricted to within your national borders, your contribution may tend not to offer solutions but rather just criticism. We need other people to assist our Ngwazi and not only MPs or Ministers. CheBOSS
CheBOSS!!!! what a good point and helping opinion(s)