Kaliati brands selective justice sparing Chimulirenji and Vuwa on ‘late’ Peter Mutharika gaffe only suspending MBC journos

UTM Party secretary general Patricia Kaliati condemned “selective justice” in the governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), saying the party has influenced the suspension of four journalists at taxpayer-funded Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) for erroneously referring to President Peter Mutharika as dead.

On Friday MBC moved quickly to send on suspension four journalists for their role in a story that erroneously described the incumbent Malawi President as ‘Late Professor Peter Mutharika.’

The report, that had gone viral on Thursday night was done by MBC’s Lilongwe-based reporter Mwai Mtumodzi when he was rounding- up the the official visit of the Tanzania President John Magufuli’s visit to Malawi where inside the report, the journalist erroneously described the statue of former late President Bingu wa Mutharika as that belonging to ‘the late Professor Peter Mutharika’

The suspension of the 4 MBC employees comes barely a few days after the ruling DPP’s presidential running mate Everton Chimulirenji also described the ‘Late Professor Mutharika’ instead of the late Bingu wa Mutharika.

Former presidential advisor on the youth Vuwa Kaunda also made a similar mistake last week in Nkhatabay.

The running mate made this mistake at Likoma Island when he went there to conduct some election campaign.

“Chimulirenji and Vuwa Kaunda said the very same thing. If it were opposition leaders who said, we could have BEEN rounded up and arrested. I now tell the president to arrest Chimulirenji and Vuwa Kaunda,” Kaliati said.

The four MBC journalists suspended over the error include the author of the news report Mwai Mtumodzi, Chief News Editor Waliko Makhala, News Producer Austin Fukula and Assistant News Producer Wesyslas Chirwa.

The four according to suspension letters,  which Nyasa Times has  seen,  are being accused in various was for allowing such kind of a report to find itself on air.

According to one of the letters, dated 25th April, 2019, signed by MBC’s Director of Administration Gift Nyambalo , MBC writes that: “Management has noted with deep concern that the presidential story report that you approved for airing on the television channel on Thursday 25th April, 2019 had a very serious factual error.”

The letter further said:“We find the report to be most unprofessional and it shows carelessness on your part for allowing such kind of a report to go on air undetected.”

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