Malawi police summon Nyasa Times journalist over Cdedi report: ‘Thou shalt not criticise Chakwera’

April 6, 2021 Wongani Chiuta - Nyasa Times 41 Comments

Malawi Police summoned Nyasa Times journalist Watipaso Mzungu on Tuesday and held him detained at Area 30 Police headquarters in Lilongwe, interrogating him over a story published online on 1st April 2021 that quoted head of Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiative (Cdedi) Sylvester Namiwa who called President Lazarus Chakwera a joker and a time waster.

Cdedi executive director Silvester Namiwa: His statement quoted by Nyasa Times has sparked criminal investigations by police

Mzungu, a chief reporter for Nyasa Times,  was summoned by  director of CID at national police headquarters Emmanuel Soko.

He was being quizzed why he quoted the statement from the organisation that had  what police say disparaging comments criticising President Chakwera.

Police claim the story on Nyasa Times intended to undermine the authority of the Head of State.

Namiwa was reacting to Chakwera’s flip- flopping on cabinet assessment and reshuffle.

National Police spokesperson, James Kadadzera has not yet commented on the matter.

Police say Nyasa Times journalist by quoting Namiwa  was also criminally insulting Chakwera.

He was asked to submit the story he filed to Nyasa Times before it was edited and the original statement Namiwa sent.

In the story published on April 2, 2021 ,  Namiwa claimed that the postponement of the release of the new Cabinet has vindicated his organization’s fears that Malawians have “have a time waster and a joker in the high office of the presidency”.

“It was on 19th February 2021 when social media outlets were all awash with photos of Dr. Chakwera and the Vice President Dr. Saulos Chilima, apparently scrutinizing the Cabinet. On Tuesday, 30th March 2021, the State House was quoted as having announced that a cabinet shake-up was in the offing and that a new list of cabinet ministers would be announced within 24 hours. Come Wednesday, 31st March 2021, President Chakwera tells Malawians that he still needs more time to scrutinise the results of the cabinet assessment report which was submitted to him by Dr. Chilima a few days ago,” said Namiwa.

He reminded Tonse Alliance government that Malawians were tired of the comedy acted by the people they elected to spearhead the national socio-economic transformation agenda.

“What Malawians are anxiously waiting for from the two leaders are results, results, and results, and not jokes befitting Fools Day, which is 1st April,” said Namiwa.

Nyasa Times management said it stood in solidarity with Mzungu, who “has shown throughout the years his commitment to a journalism free of any allegiance.”

The authorities have since been asked to fulfil their  duty to protect the right to freedom of expression and to immediately stop harassing journalists.

Mzungu has since been released by police unconditionally.

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41 replies on “Malawi police summon Nyasa Times journalist over Cdedi report: ‘Thou shalt not criticise Chakwera’”

  1. Will Malawi Police ever gonna change or transform rather????? It seems that we have had these stories for an endless time now. Does Top Police Management know their constitutional mandate? And do they think that President is God that must not be questioned or criticised?????

  3. Eeeh…. hmm. After all the rot that’s associated with the history of MCP and you are still doing this. After making a name for arresting innocent people, you’re still showing signs of unrepentant attitudes.

    Least we forget, this is just a tiny little list of innocent Malawians that suffered under your leadership:

    Jack Mapanje, Matchipisa Munthali. Kadango, Msungama, Brown Mpinganjira, George Mtafu, Aleke Banda, Solombela, Disi, Martin Longwe, 14 year old James Chagoma, Blaise, Martin Chunga – just to mention a very few..

    STOP IT!

  4. OMG I am being reminded of the old MCP atrocities again. MCP knows that if they shall manage to gag the media then all our freedoms can easily be gagged too. Typical of the dictator regime. Izitu tisazisekerere aMalawi tidzalira mfeeee the way we cried under Kamuzu. I am worried. This is Chakwera’s 10th month in office koma wayamba kale nkhanza chonchi eish!!!

  5. I don’t see why police arrested the Journalist…
    He was /is very right
    The president through his press Sec,said he is going to reshuffle cabinet Before April,contrary to his words,he didn’t…..Atolankhani are free…..like every citizen.
    Police must be questioned,give reasons why exactly they arrested him.

  6. One of the most outstanding under or wrongly performing and non competent public service in our country is without doubt our police service! Do they really know the law and the constitution of our country to do their job for all parts of soceity and not only to please their masters and themselves? MPS like this you bring us only back

  7. Kaya, which part of HI5 is this? Mwina it’s one of the five fingers on the other hand.

    1)Arbitrary arrest
    2)Harassment of journalists
    3)Abuse of Covid funds (6.2 billion+11 billion unaccounted)
    4)Habitual lying and broken promise.
    5) Empty speeches in Ghetto pimp slung learned in the brothels of 1980 Chicago.

  8. Kwantere nchiani delo???Ah ah ah aaa. Basop, we dont want police brutality, harassment and intimidation in this modern day age. You have lots of work to do out there protecting Citizens fullstop!!! Dont even dare remind us of the atrocities committed during the 30 year dictatorship. I’ve read almost all criticisms relating to delays in reshufling the cabinet and they all valid! We dont want timid leadership and thats why we are here to vehemently denounce! We want decisiveness, keeping promises amd real development!!!! And we wont stop until the last drop mpaka development yize yakukwa a!Tapulikana kodi. I hope zamveka. Let the media do its job freeeeely.

  9. There is Law of Freedom of speech in Malawi.
    Hence the journalist did not break any Law by expressing his freedom of speech.

    Contrary his detention was unlawful.
    It is the police who should be placed in the dock for that unlawful detention and depriving a citizen of his liberty

    1. You are very right,journalist has the right.
      Police would like to go to Kamuzu regime….
      Zichepe and those police must be disciplined&amupepetse mtolankhaniyo.

  10. Freedom of Speech is the universal Human Right in all Democratic and Civilised countries :
    1. Freedom of speech means the right even to offend someone regardless of their position or status

    Only autocratic governments or police state government tend to hinder Freedom of speech

  12. Don’t cry thus what u were demonstrating for! Destroying govt & private property in the process. Why crying now? Leaders who were supporting violence, destroying their own country just for power , then u expect them to respect rule of Law while in power. Really? How foolish!

  13. This is a surprising act by the police.
    Why not just arrest the confusionist and idiot Namiwa himself? Just close his politically connected organization. This rat is making too much noise with no substance because he is being influenced by his tribesmen in DPP and wants to look relevant. He has too much hatred for president Chakwera and his Tonse government.

  15. Freedom of opinion under attack here. Alot of people will be arrested . Alot is said on this platform again leadership some of them worse than what this journalist did. Heading in the wrong direction..

  16. What a stupid move by the police! Never detain a journalist under any circumstances. The NGO in question, Cdedi, is a joke. So why worsen an already bad police reputation over a nonentity like Cdedi? I sure hope the Tonse Alliance has nothing to do with this shit.

    (As an aside, I didn’t know that Watipaso Mzungu is a name of a real person. I thought it was a pseudonym like mine. Muzichenjera dhala, ndi pa town pano!)

    2. Ofcoz no legal basis but political and governance implications. Indecisiveness and sleeping on the job. Plus arresting one with a dissenting view and criticism for what. If the previous govt had done so bwenzi muli pati a MCP. Its because a Dad though equally sloppy but was Democratic

    3. Bodzatu iri amwene, muli mMalawi momumo? Analonjeza yekha zimenezi and on top of that end of last month Brian Banda anatsimikiza atatumidwa ndiiyeyo. By the way you mean non performing and mbava za nduna azingozilekelera osazichotsa cos palibe legal basis for cabinet reshuffle,then achimwene you r not serious you r defending the undefendable

    4. So who told the abusa to mention it in the first place. He said it out of his on will because he is a liar. Lived a life of lies and cant/won’t stop now.

  19. This is very sad news. It seems like malawians will never know peace. They come from a frying pan to a burning fire. Why mcp can’t repent. The actions of the police will just make people rebel against the government. This harrassment got to stop

  20. That’s rotten police in Malawi. People criticized all the President’s worse was Peter. What did you do you stupid police. Now we can see the spirit of Kamuzuizm dictatorship. You will never silence people by putting them in detention. The more you silence them the more they become aggressive and rise up in full force. Police remember this is a different Malawi. Tigumulana zibwano.. Nunys muona

  21. These two things Chakwera and Chilima have failed us Malawians. They are just piling blanders. The Mathanga/Kunje, MK6.2 billion saga, Teachers strike, Reserve bank issues, Fuel/Electricity price hikes, plus plus blunders. Today they are on the Reporter who if anything assisted Chakwera/Chilima publicity in their bid to the highest office and they are now against him because he has just reported the issue as it is. Let me tell you Chakwera and Chilima that your honeymoon is about to be over

    1. I absolutely agree with you. I have them my vote and it’s high time they start delivering. No more grace period. Enough of these motivational speeches. Enough of these intangible reforms. Enough of this taking photos in meetings and sitting in front of laptops pretending to work – rubbish!

      This lady in Tanzania, she has only been in post for a few weeks and already she is officially challenging and forcing changes to the status core on high expensive internet bundles. Here in Malawi these guys are still thinking and talking about it.

      Enough of this talk show.

    1. I think democracy yabweletsa umbulitu. these other things are in what we call discipline. we cant go on and on insulting the President just because you dont like him or her.

      1. Umbuli koma wanuwu. Have you heard of freedom of expression. It’s a democracy. Change or perish

  23. you were sold a dumy when this Chakwera guy came in using the christian/gospel ticket,now his true colours are coming out..People went on sing praises of the Malawian judiciary, some even ( believe those clowns sitting on those benches) are the best in the world hahahahahahaha I rest my case

    1. chilima adatipeleka manja mwa amangawa, akambuku enieni adangovala chikopa cha nkhosa.

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