Malawi flagship newspaper Nation closed in tax dispute

The Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA)  has shut down the flagship  newspaper The Nation, which is  critical of the government, accusing it of failing to pay taxes.

Mbumba Banda  chief executive officer  of Nations Publications Limited (NPL) founded by former political stalwart late Aleke Banda  confirmed the closure of its main office in Blantyre over a tax compliance dispute.

But Banda  and  Managing Editor Ephraim Munthali did not comment on the matter as the publication’s lawyers were seeking redress at the courts.

Media practitioners said the newspaper had been closed because of its critical editorial policy and accused the authorities of trying to silence it.

Tax officials have not commented on the matter, but  a government spokesman said the MRA were only trying to recoup unpaid taxes.

Malawian government spokesman Mark Botomani denied assertions that the regime is on a media clamp down.

Freedom House, a non-governmental organization which ranks press freedom worldwide, classified impoverished Malawi as “partly free” in its 2017 ranking.