Kasakula spits fire: Stop gossiping and politicking

The newly-minted Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) Director-General, George Kasakula, has sternly warned the public broadcaster’s staff to desist from politicking and gossiping because they have a duty to serve Malawians and not just a selected few.

Kasakula’s remarks are a sharp contrast of the image MBC has been known for over the years – a conduit used to promote a ruling politburo and to demonise and despise opposition politicians and those with dissenting views.

Kasakula, who has just taken over the reigns at the country’s biggest broadcaster, MBC sounded the warning when he visited the corporation’s offices in the capital, Lilongwe to familiarise himself with the establishment.

The former Times Group Editor-in- Chief, Kasakula said: “Stop gossiping, stop politicking and stop bickering. Here is not the place for backbiting.

“This is not the place for praise and worship, this is an institution where Malawians invest their hopes and trust people who work here are expected to be professional and effectively deliver on the general public’s mandate.”

Added Kasakula: “Truth be told, we have a lot of work to do to get the people’s trust and confidence. The MBC you delivered is not what people wanted. That’s a fact. We must change. And for that change to happen, we need to change our attitude and remain professional.”

Kasakula, a former Nation Publications Limited journalist and senior editor emphasised that MBC as a public broadcaster owes its allegiance to the general public and that there is a social contract between the people and MBC for a quality public service.

“I have a soft spot for hard work. I don’t like people who like licking boots and engage in political bickering and if that is what you like then the new MBC is not a good place for you. If you can’t perform, please resign,” warned Kasakula.

The orientation meeting in Lilongwe is the second with MBC members of staff after a similar one in Blantyre since Kasakula assumed office a few weeks ago.

The Malawi Broadcasting Corporation is a state-run radio company in Malawi.

It was founded in 1964 after Malawi attained her independence from the British colonial rule.

MBC is the oldest and largest broadcaster in the country and has two radio stations, Radio 1 and Radio 2, and transmits on FM, Medium Wave and Shortwave frequencies and Online.

Also, MBC has an independent Television Station, MBCTV, formerly Television Malawi (TVM).

Since 1992, when a wind of change blew across Malawi as the country was transitioning from one party system to multipartism MBC became a tool used to castigate the opposition and proponents of political pluralism.

After 1994, after Malawi attained her second Republic, MBC turned into a political ground for the new government where unqualified loyalists were rewarded with high positions and the trend has has been that way since then.

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