Malawi presidential spokesman Ndala fired

January 7, 2015 Hudson Mphande - Nyasa Times, 63 Comments

Malawian President Peter Mutharika has fired his Press Secretary Frederick Ndala and is set to be  replaced by  journalist who works for Nation Publications Limited (NPL), Nyasa Times understands.

State House spokesman Fredrick Ndala: Frozen
State House spokesman Fredrick Ndala: Frozen

Ndala has since confirmed his firing but could not be drawn to comment on the reasons.

However, State House sources reveal that Ndala was booted out following revelation that he was behind the scheme to defraud the President of money amounting to K8 million which was meant for journalists when they had an audience with Mutharika towards the end of last year.

During the audience the almost 100 journalists were said to have been given K50,000 each meaning the total amount given out was K4 million yet it is said that the money released was K12 million with an agreement that the journalists will get K200,000 each.

“Apparently it seems that Ndala was not the main guy in the scheme but all the people involved threw everything at him and being new in such games he had no much clout to back up himself,” said the source.

Ndala who was appointed soon after Mutharika became president was working for Blantyre Newspapers Limited (BNL) where he was the editor of Malawi News.

He was appointed along Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) Regional Manager for the north and Mzuzu Bureau Chief Timpuza Mwansambo as Deputy Press Secretary.

As press secretary, Ndala took up the role of presidential spokesperson previously held by another journalist Steve Nhlane under former president Joyce Banda and politician Dr. Heatherwick Ntaba, under late president Bingu wa Mutharika.

Mutharika’s press office is being manned by five people and is not clear whether His replacement will be at the State House as second in command or the overall incharge of the office.

Other officers in the office include Justice Mponda who dubs as an editor for a pro-Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) online publication the Malawi Voice, Chikondi Juma former reporter for Times TV and Sylvester Namiwa former reporter for Galaxy FM Radio, which in the run up to the May 20 elections was seen as a mouth piece of the DPP.

The press office was previously occupied by Nhlane, Faless Ngalawuka, Tusekele Mwanyongo and Brian Banda whose duties were automatically relinquished following the loss of the then ruling People’s Party.

The country’s media fraternity had high expectations on Ndala that probably he would bring sanity into the president’s office because of his level headedness, but that never was.

Just like previous holders of the office Ndala seemed to have had challenge in creating space for journalists to work cordially with State House and in an environment where they are not intimidated or harassed especially during presidential press conferences.

Ndala’s departure as the only level headed character spells doom for the State House communication and media relations which is manned by former MBC Director General Bright Malopa as a Special Presidential Advisor on Communication Strategy.

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63 replies on “Malawi presidential spokesman Ndala fired”

  1. People Think! Use your grey cells. How on earth is a Press Secretary tasked to disburse that much money to fellow journalists? Come on folks! Ndala just fell on someones sword. Just watch, what goes around comes around. It is good for Fred. He should sing naked to His Maker for being fired.

  2. Good riddance. This guy pilfered money meant for others. The issue is not whether he is the only one or not. He thought he was clever. Akagwere uko pafupi ndi moto.

  3. Why should all this be happening? People are employed today & fired tomorrow. These are symptoms of many issues. Billy, in my opinion, there I no thorough check on the integrity of those appointed into high positions. Whatever criterion I is used to appoint them. Or are these thieves developing the character theory of if you cannot win them, join them. But then joining who?

  4. Why is mainstream media quiet and not commenting on this? Anyasa ndinu power _ the mainstream media carefully choreograph news but hide under professionalism and we’ll-edited stories. At least at nyasatimes we know that what we see is what we get

  7. Fred I am sure you must be related to a Ndala I know who last year Swindled a USAID funded project and caused almost closure? kodi ndi zoyamwira eti mpaka kukabela atolankhani anzanu? ndiye inu munatenda zingati mutagawana?

  8. Welcome home Fred. I congratulated you on your appointment; I should also welcome you back of your coming back. I knew you would never fit in the complicated jigsaw puzzle of Malawi politics. Let us stay out of it all and concentrate on what we are better at, Fred: writing and teaching.

  10. i cry for pililani phiri the vibrant young young eishتنمحعهنن ىىى u know what i mean mungayambe kundi shooter

  11. I DID SAY THIS, AND THAT IS THE START, JUST WAIT THE FINAL ONE WILL BE DONE BY GOD HIMSELF, THIS WILL NOT TAKE TIME AT ALL————- VERY VERY SOON YOU WILL SEE.
    + GOD SAVE MALAWI +

  12. Vakubavi, mbava,agulukunyinda amangidwe basi. kungochotsa does not mean anything.
    It like promoting cahsgate in every department. Njatani akagwirire mgaiwa.

  13. Mukatha kupanga fire aku state house mubwerenso ku office ya Boma ku Balaka council, DCs office ndiku Agriculture mudzachotse mbava zomwe zikutibera boma lathu monga Tsitsi,Msukwa,DPD Gondwe, Tiyamike Boaz ndi ena akumeneko omwe akuba ngati Fredrick Ndala.

  16. Awachita bwino!!! Amasokonezera ma banja. a wanthu mu 25. Maka. Ndala, Ndalama za. kuba ndi choncho
    Tsono zinwenzi pa rent paja mutani????

  18. The whole press team ndimbava zokhazokha, they started stealing money meant for reporters way back, each function they pocket cash and pretend to the president that they are doing commendable job, the rest of them la 40 lizakwana watch the space

    1. Pakhalenso clean up MMA office onse aboma ma auditor ache asakhale abomawa naonso mbabva zokhazokha aksbwera kudzapanga audit they claim for allowances from the office they are audits then olo apeze zifukwa amangoti konzani

  20. Mkazi WAKE SI AMENE ANALI BUSY KU MANGITSA MBAVA ZINA MUNKHANI YA CASH GATE KOMA ONSE ALI MBAVA. AMAFUNA KULEMERA NSANGA KOMA IMENEYI NDIYE YA MUPHONYA. KUFUNA KUKOLOLA POMWE SIUNALIME
    KOMA ZILIKO.

  21. Thanks Mr president for being responsible for these guys and when they are caught up in fraud fire them just like u did bravo Mr president

  24. Ndiye ku state house kumeneko, bwerankoni tizizalemba news mu newsroom. siinu aja munkakhala excited pa Facebook atakupangani appoint, lero bwelerani ku Facebook munkakhala excited ndi firing

  27. Abale zomvetsa chisoni izi, just praying that it should not be true. Wish you all the best F.Ndala

  29. Timpuza mwansambo framed stories he is the one who took money yet chimwemwe banda,malopa, Ben phiri were all involved. They were saying it was too much for poor journals to get 200 grand each. Kodi Mesa ndi balaka masten mumuteteze Mesa ndi home boy

  30. Dadaboma chipani chako ndiye mbava osati DPP ayi ndipo iweyo ndiye amene amakutuma kukaba mbava za mfuti zikuvutazi group leader wake ndiwe, kanatu ngati ndikunama.

  31. mr Mdala you got what you deserved. you sidelined NyasaTimes reporters in most of the presidential activities. you thought mwafikapo. back to square one. idiot!!!

  36. APM should learn and select a team of accomplished and experienced “staffers” and cabinet secretaries who are in touch with his political philosophy. He should choose strong people with good reputation for development not thiefs.

    1. Very true. He should be careful with selection most of these guys ndi mbava and ndiamene akusokoneza zinthu.

  39. DPP ndi MBAVA zedi. DPP is a syndicate of thieves and corrupters. From the day the journalists were corrupted with the 50,000, three months down the line, APM is saying nothing about the issue. APM stole those monies from NAC, his press and communication officers officers in turn stole the monies that APM stole; the jornos made noise about the monies and the corruption scandal, but APM is dumb on the issue. He is quiet over the scandalous issue, much as his brother Bingu was quiet when it was revealed to him that there was cashgate in his govt. Now do you entrust a whole govt to thugs like these and expect development? Malawians that voted for DPP are bullshit.

  40. Mtalika is creating more enemies. Thanks our number has been increased by one and i hope he will tell us more about APM.

  41. Kalanga ine kufela za eni,pomwe ndinaona kuti Ndala watenga njira yolakwika ndipomwe ankamuikila kumbuyo Muthalika posapeleka moni olo kutchula dzina la Chakwela pa HTD. Kunama kwake amati apulezidenti analephela kupeleka moni chifukwa cha barrier,ndie anthu tinadabwa kuti barrier inali ndi pakamwa pomwe mpakana kulephela ndi malonje omwe? Kunama

    1. Kikikikiki hahahahah hehehehe. Kikikikiki. Koma abale inu, a James Phiri akuti chiyani? Lom… eats Lom…. Kumpnanda. Kikikikikiki

  44. Mwamuchotsa? Musiyeni inuyo mungoliuza dziko zandalama ma 200,000 mati mupangenawo chani President wanu phiri ndiwa cora apa sono, bribing is an offence and opanda manoyu he is deserved to be puneshed, inuyo munapita ku skool osadandaula kwambili forge ahead with ur usual work mwana wakwithu!!!!.

  45. Save taxpayers money and do not replace him because that office seems redundant in the way State House is operating in as far as communication is concerned. The President is too quiet so Press Office is already overstaffed . Ma reform akufunika across the board don’t just focus on Principal Secretaries. Next to face the chop will be Bamusi and Magalasi after the Global Fund mission.

  46. Ngati anthu ankalephera ku ugwila mtima ndi K12million, yimene yiri ngati R300,000.00, tsopano ma donors akadzawapatsa ma billion ndiye anthu amenewa sangagwirike. Zomvetsa chisoni ndithu. How can government fight corruption if the same government officials are corrupt. Its a long way to go. So, kabofera a bona balwera tsherete ya moboso. Shaah! Ke mathatha amagolo, re tlaona.

  47. It is very unfair to associate Ndala with stealing from the president. I don’t think the reasons being fronted for his firing are true. I wish the media did a thorough job on what really happened because otherwise we are being fed lies in this issue and tainting the image of an innocent soul. Ndala was the most sober person at State house press office and I am scared what will happen to the office now

  55. Anyway Dpp hierarchy didn’t like him and he knows it. My understanding was that the guy was too nice for this type of work.

  56. He’s only a sacrificial lamb. The real culprits are deemed untouchable hence someone had to face the chop.

    But for how long is this circus going to run on the ballroom floor?

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