Journalists barred at Minister Botomani’s tour to Airtel Malawi

Scores of journalists were on Tuesday ordered out of the meeting the Minister of Information, Civic Education and Communications Technology, Mark Botomani, held with the management of Airtel Malawi in Lilongwe.

Botomani (in dark-blue suit) interacting with Kamoto (right) as an official from the ministry looks on–Photos by Watipaso Mzungu
Kamoto (right) and Botomani engage in a discussion before the journalists were chased out
Botomani making a call next to the Airtel Malawi banner

Ironically, officials from the ministry had extended invitations to media houses to send reporters to cover the courtesy call Botomani paid at the mobile phone service provider’s premises at Airtel Complex, which is next to Malawi Congress Party (MCP) Headquarters at Malawi’s capital, Lilongwe.

Everything started very well until a few minutes after the introductions in the conference room when officials from the ministry ordered the media crew to go out and wait at the receiption.

This did not please the journalists, who included two from State-run Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC), who demanded answers from the Botomani’s personal assistant, Kondwani Chitosi, why they had invited the media in the first place.

“Why did you invite us in the first place if we were not supposed to be part of the meeting? How are we going to generate questions for the interviews?” the disappointed journalists fumed.

The maltreated journalists waited for close two hours before they were invited to invite them to interview the minister and the Airtel Malawi managing director Charles Kamoto.

However, thedistressed journalists put their feet down, vowing they would not interview the minister because “we have been tortured more than enough”.

It took senior officials from the mobile phone service provider to apologise that journalists cooled down and changed their mind on their “no interview” stance.

In his remarks, Botomani said he was impressed with the investment Airtel Malawi is making to improve the quality of its services and products in the country.

On the other hand, Kamoto assured government of its commitment to improving the living standards of Malawians through relevant services and products such as mobile money services.

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Nasingwe
Nasingwe
4 years ago

wa mutu ngati bhogi yu kutamika eh

mwana mlomwe
mwana mlomwe
4 years ago

Bottoman your time is over soon you are going to be a mere person

Nawaooo
Nawaooo
4 years ago

Kodi what qualifies Botoman to be a minister if I may ask?

BigMan
BigMan
4 years ago

Why should journalists expect to attend the whole meeting?

Lego
4 years ago
Reply to  BigMan

Stop showing your primitiveness and dullness.

Diaspora
Diaspora
4 years ago

Secret discussion on how they will rig the re-rum

Coolman
Coolman
4 years ago

Something fishy has happened

Diaspora
Diaspora
4 years ago

Ask questions on what if they were not in the meeting? How were the journalists convinced by the Airtel management? But why?

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