British envoy to Malawi hails Zodiak radio

British High Commissioner to Malawi Michael Nevin has commended a privately owned Zodiak Broadcasting Station (ZBS) for what he said the great role the station is playing in informing, entertaining and educating Malawians.

Speaking during the recent dinner organized by the ZBS management in the capital city Lilongwe, Nevin said  time has come for other media houses to emulate Zodiak, saying media plays vital role in pushing governments to be accountable to its people.

“In Malawi, the ingredients are there. One reason is that the political economy of Malawi is too closed, too much who-you-know. It’s means of operating and maneuvering is too opaque, too comfortable with its status. That is at the expense of others”.

He said there is nothing wrong with succeeding through one’s hard work and benefiting from that success and Gospel is one example of that.
“There should be no jealousies or attempts to undermine success, as happens too often in Malawi society. But equally there is too little opportunity for people and too much protectionism of a club for some over others,” Nevin said.

He said media has a role to bring governance closer to the people, facilitating their ability to learn, question and hold to account those in authority.

“We need more of it if Malawi is to further develop. The “fourth estate”, and in the case of ZBS, the “fifth estate”, is an important ingredient of any thriving democratic economy,” said Nevin.

Nevin said the media can help to turn up the heat but for that to happen, Nevin believe that political party reforms remains priority.

In his remarks Zodiak Managing Director Gospel Kazako asked authorities on the need to table Access to Information Bill and Table Mountain declaration so that “citizens can hold government accountable on issues affecting their daily lives.”