God is angry with Malawi because of  ‘opposite of the positive’ media —PIM leader Rev Makondetsa

Providence Industrial Mission (PIM)  president Reverend Patrick Makondetsa has said  God is angry with Malawi which is facing economic turmoil blaming the media for negative reporting.

Rev Makondetsa made the remarks in Chiradzulu on Sunday in a sermon at a function to honour the late John Chilembwe.

The prayers were held to  John Chilembwe day. Chilembwe revolted against British rule from January 23 1915 due to structural conditions in the colonial set up and marginalised State policies on land, labour and taxation among Africans.

The revolt ended with his death on February 3 1915 in Mulanje as he tried to flee to Mozambique.

In his sermon, Rev Makondetsa claimed the media didn’t care about informing the public or building the country’s image but  there is  envy and personal gains.

He said, the media is the main agent to change the thinking and shape the approach.

Makondetsa  also accused the opposition for negative reporting ,saying both the media and opposition spoon-feeds the public with negative stories about government failures.

“God is angry with the nation of Malawi because of negative reporting that is taking place,” said Makondetsa.

“And he is saying to the nation of Malawi today: They [hose involved in bad reporting] will keep wandering in the wilderness.”

Added Makondetsa amid  ululations from government officials that Malawi is “derailing into under-development because of the negative reporting.”

The PIM leader said  those  involved in “negative reporting” and not patriotic reporting “will never see the promised land.”

He went on: “ God was angry. The Promised Land was an 11-day march to Canaan, but because of the bad reporting, it took the Israelites 13 000 days. Bad reporting, negative reporting, is not good to any nation. It derails development. It upsets the strong minded, it confuses the strong.”

Makondetsa said negative reporting “is a greater evil” of Malawi.

He said negative reporting “plants  fear among citizens of this nation. It undermines the capability of its citizens. It kills hardworking spirit of their people.

But journalists have argued that they don’t create the news but report the news.

In his remarks President Mutharika paid tribute to Chilembwe.

He urged Malawians to embrace the spirit of love as well as hard work and determination which Chilembwe had for the country to develop.

Born in 1871, Chilembwe attended Virginia Theological Seminary and College in the United States of America (USA) and returned to Malawi around 1901 (after being ordained as a Baptist minister) to establish the Providence Industrial Mission (PIM) in Chiradzulu district.

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