Malawi Police arrest JB’s aide over Facebook ‘Chigomba’
Malawi Police in Blantyre have arrested Tusekele Mwanyongo, an aide to former President Joyce Banda on suscipicion that he uses a pseudo of Gerald Kampanikiza, a strong critic of President Peter Mutharika and his ruling DPP on social media.
Mwanyongo was picked up Friday morning and is being detained at Blantyre Police Station.
He confirmed in a brief interview that he has been arrested and expressed surprise on what wrong he has done.
“Yes am at Blantyre Police, am under arrest. I don’t know what wrong I have done, maybe they are going to tell me,” said Mwanyongo.
A police source said Mwanyongo has been picked following orders from ‘above’ on suscipicion that he operates under s pseudo name of Gerald Kampakaniza who criticises Mutharika and his government on social media especially Facebook.
The arrest should send worrying signals to Malawians as traces of dictatorship would be creeping back in President Mutharika who recently has not been taking criticism positively.
Government announced the drafting of new cyber laws to control the use of social media across the country.
A bill that will impose harsh punishment for “abusers” of social media platforms, would soon be tabled before parliament.
Home Affairs Minister Jappie Mhango is on record telling the Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) when he was Information Minister that the bill was aimed at refocusing the medium of social media so that it could be used for discussions around developmental issues affecting the state.
Mhango made an indirect suggestion that certain legislators and publicists were abusing WhatsApp and Facebook as they discussed a wide range of political, economic and social issues, much to the concern of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
“This is a big concern to us. A lot of people are abusing Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and others,” said Mhango.
The development follows recent remarks made by President Mutharika where he expressed concern over the use of social media in the southern African country.
Mutharika stressed the need for new laws to regulate defamatory and malicious messages expressed on social media, urging all Malawians to embrace positivity and to curb the spread of false rumours.
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za ziiiiiiiiiiii!!!!
When did insults become criticism? Anyway this is Nyasatimes. By the way, how can someone in a police remand cell grant an interview to media? How did Mwanyongo access his phone? We leave everything at the reception when going into the police remand cell. Munamize omwe sanayambe akhala mu police remand cell omwewo, but not me.
koma kunyza tsogoleri sibwino ndikupusa anthu ambiri ndiotelo tsoleri anthu amatha kukupatsa maina olakwika achipongwe molingana ndi zichita zako olo mafumu bambo mai phuzitsi or abusa amapatsidwa maina or kukunyoza kumene sono aliyetse atakankhure kapena kulemba pa fb azimangidwa jundendeko kukhala angati? and mulandu wotukwana ndi wochepe zedi mwinanso kulipira ndi 2000mk gwanda ndi usena wakewo anatukwana ku nkhota kota analipira 2000mk now kuyimba office ya NIB bize on fb kusaka otukwana mundiuze mwina palikhani zina muthu wofuna kulanda boma sagwiritsa ntchito phone, kalata,amakhalandi ma network awo ndi zilankhulo zawo ma pass words awo komano kutukwana tsogoleri zeru palibedi munthu… Read more »
Ap ndiye anthu anyoza tidzadze ndende zose palibe poloblem kudana ndi chilungamo two much
Typical of the muntharika’s this family if it was a crop we could roast and throw it in water so that it doesn’t grow again. I tell you one day is one day we will rise up against this tyranny, we fought against Banda’s dictatorship now another fool comes from America to snatch our hardly earned democracy, my foot we will show them that we can defy this stupidity.
THIS GOVERMENT IS PATHETIC AND SICKENING
THE PEOPLE OF MALAWI MUST WAKE UP AND SEE THE LEVEL OF IGNORANCE
AND IMMATURITY THAT THE GOVERNMENT OF MALAWI IS…
THEY ARE BUSY POLICING FACEBOOK AND WHATSAPP WHILE PEOPLE ARE
SUFFERING IN SO MANY WAYS..
INSECURE DICTATORSHIP… DICTATOR…. DICTATOR… INSECURE DICTATOR..
PEOPLE WAKE UP..????
Zili kumalawi
I think our authorities get their strategies upside down. Any Right thinking person would never attempt to silence a possible one million social media users. If I was in a position of authority, I would not expose my position on any criticism against me so as to keep my detractors guessing on my next move. You se, that would be psychologically tormenting! In true and civilized democracies, people agree to disagree. Two days ago, Donald Trump tore Obama’s foreign policy to shreds in front of international audience yet there hasn’t been even a comment from Obama’s advisors, let alone the… Read more »
Sibwino Kunyoza Mtsogoleri a Malawi.Let’s learn to respect one another.Mwina mawa mudzakhala(mtsogoleri) inuyo,mungazamve bwanje?