Kabwila decries fake news: ‘Reputation damage should be criminalised in Malawi’

Firebrand politician Dr Jessie Kabwila has said ‘fake news’ should be criminalised as it tends to destroy the fabric of Malawi society.

She was reacting to social media stories that she had been beaten up after she collected huge sums of money from State House in Lilongwe on Monday to put spanners in the newly signed UTM, MCP electoral alliance.

Social media was awash with stories that Kabwila was beaten by MCP and UTM loyalists for getting the money from President Peter Mutharika to cause confusion in the alliance.

President Mutharika is currently at Sanjika Palace in Blantyre.

Giving an itinerary of her day, Kabwila said she started her day Monday morning going to city centre for a meeting and had a tyre puncture at Petroda Service Station near Kamuzu Central Hospital in the morning.

“One of my drivers came to pick me up in another car and rushed to attend a meeting at Namwino House around lunch hour.”

“Later we fixed the tyre puncture and went to a bank at city centre to ask for an overdraft facility because am building a security fence around my house in Area 36 after a few suspicious break ins.

“From there I attended another NGO gender coordination network meeting at Gateway Mall. I also wanted to attend the Mgwirizano press briefing but was told that it had been postponed so I came back home,” narrated Kabwila.

“Now where did I get beaten? At what point did I go to State House? I wonder why people would create fake news like this?” wondered Kabwila.

She said it is high time fake news was criminalised in the country.

“Reputation is everything especially for us politicians and even everyone. So it is disappointing to see that people deliberately create fake news to tarnish somebody’s reputation. It’s sad,” said Kabwila.

She said unfortunately most people believe what they read or see on social media as the truth.

“Its high time we kick out this fake news,” bemoaned Kabwila.

“This fake news and attempt to slander my character reminds me of what happened to me when I was in MCP and was the spokesperson.”

“A NEC member actually wrote on NEC forum that he had seen me passing through one of the gates at State House where apparently I had gone to  receive money yet at that material time I was in Mangochi attending a CMD meeting where I had been sent by the party president,” recalled Kabwila.

“These lies of me bring bought by DPP were sold widely yet I was not even in Lilongwe and on my way from the Mangochi meeting I met the  then MP for Dedza East Juliana Lunguzi at a filling station. Meanwhile people were being told, by NEC members that I’m at State House receiving money.”

“The problem is that in politics character is a big part of a person especially a woman’s political capital. Our country has many people who believe things without checking credibility of the source.”

“This malicious write up was clearly fake. When I checked with my lawyer if I can sue, he was very quick to say this is a fake piece. We need a law to deal with such slander,” bemoaned Kabwila.

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