Misa Malawi tells Chakwera to tolerate criticism: State House weekly briefings credibility damaged over pre-approved questions
Media Institute of Southern Africa (Misa) Malawi Chapter has challenged the Tonse Alliance government to be tolerant to critical voices and also not turn State House Weekly Briefings into public relations functions and described as uncalled for prior approval by State House of questions from the journalists.
According to Misa Malawi, government should be providing Malawians with information for transparency and accountability and champion media freedom.
The media watchdog said prior approval by State House of questions for the weekly briefings is uncalled for.
“While this may have been done to allow for preparations by those who would respond, we have reports that questions considered ‘critical’ are removed, thus turning the weekly briefings into public relations functions and not a two-way platform of engagement between the media and the presidency. On the same note, it is worrying that some journalists and media houses have been struggling to access the briefings,” Misa said.
In a statement signed by its chairperson Teresa Ndanga and titled “Gains and losses for the Media Freedom, Access to Information under the Tonse Adminstartion”, Misa, among others, applauds government for operationalizining Access to Information (ATI) law after 17 years of advocacy work, opening up State House and introducing the weekly press briefings.
“But while we celebrate these milestones, MISA Malawi is concerned that the administration and its supporters have, in this very short time, taken actions that are aimed at reducing media space and freedoms,” reads the statement in part.
Misa Malawi catalogues media violations under the Chakwera rule.
It noted that there is cyberbullying of Nation Publications Limited (NPL) journalists Suzgo Chitete and its managing editor Ephraim Munthali following a story by the newspaper on EU’s budget support to Malawi and Munthali’s opinions in his weekly column ‘Cut the Chaff’ which appears in the Weekend Nation newspaper.
“The attackers, who have not hidden the fact that they are supporters of the Tonse Alliance Administration, have cowardly launched their onslaught of the journalists under pseudo Facebook accounts,” said Misa.
The media watchdog said some Malawi Congress Party (MCP) insiders have been writing Chitete to warn him of what was being planned against him for writing articles deemed critical of the Chakwera administration.
“Some cabinet ministers have also been calling and threatening journalists after publication of stories deemed to be critical of the Tonse Alliance Administration,” Misa said.
Of course journalists at Nation’s rival company, Daily Times are safe as the publication is pro-MCP.
The organisation also stated that the recent closure of privately-owned Galaxy FM by the Lilongwe City Council (LCC) reportedly over unsettled city rates is worrying especially as some defaulters are spared.
“MISA Malawi does not condone default on city rates, but the best approach was to engage the management of Galaxy FM and resolve the issue through mutual business negotiations.
Ndanga therefore calls on the Tonse Alliance Administration to correct the wrongs, stating that people gave them the mandate to rule the country on trust that they would deliver on its promises, including being more tolerant to the critical voices, empowering citizens with information with which they can use to hold power to account and championing media freedom.
“2021 grants the Tonse Administration another chance to demonstrate that the campaign rhetoric is to be translated to demonstrable action.”
The institute also urge the leadership to thrive to “inspire co-existence amongst people with different opinions” so that supporters of the administration do not wield power to victimize those presumed to be without that same power.
ardon
As part of Christmas and New Year celebrations for this year, the Malawi Leader has pardoned 787 prisoners including, well behaved and some who were in for pardonable offences.
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MCP back to its old behaviour. Asatiyese. This is not 1964. Malawians will not stand by and watch them turn this nation into a dictatorship again.
rating: 15% – Pull Up Your Socks.
It’s so painful that the government is going in this direction.
People expected something different from this.
The DPP was dislodged and dislocated because of these issues.
If the Tonse is to stay, please do something.
Kaya
Press Briefing – a fabricated machinery to allow Apongozi a slice of the loot.
African child, ukuona?
Just discontinue the nonsensical weekly press waffle.They serve no purpose whatsoever.
.
Press briefings are just there to have the in law get employed so he can share the loot. By the way, does he have the qualifications for the post he is holding or it just my in law look after my child.
I doubt if one of the ministers threatening is not Sidik Mia, Chimwendo Banda and Mkaka, am smelling a cat here
Its actually Mkaka
Unfortunately, minister of information is an MCP outsider. He cannot report these concerns to Chakwera because he wants to keep his job. It should take the general public to act and show the disgusting behaviour of these barbaric ruling mafia. On the other hand, the police being led by a chewa, the public should not expect improvements.
True MCP cruelty exposed too soon. Next is disappearance of journalists.
MCP will never change no matter who the leader is.
Misa Malawi to show relevance
Chakwera’s leadership is a disaster.
Press briefings was a good idea but now mukuononga po sankha mafunso oti a bwanawo adziyankha. Its just as good as kungosiya, you thought you were smart but now its turning against you, Before you implement something, crosscheck first why others before you were not doing it and where doing it before you stop it. If Chakwera adopted the US system though not on weekly basis, the President just comes and answers questions from journalists osati zanuzo mukupangazo. If you are not able to manage these press briefings, zisiyeni. It looks also kuti mulibe chochita ku state house ko.
Thanks MISA Malawi for making this observation and speaking your mind. Your observation should not end up at muzzling the press, but also a tendency by the State House to pay journalists when they cover press briefings. This is unacceptable as it is considered free bees, another form of corruption because the State House expectation is to get positive reporting of by the media which is confirms your argument of turning media briefings to public relations functions. In fact I have always wondered why journalists do not ask pertinent questions. Brian Banda is not an intelligent person that he can challenge journalists’ hard questions, but listening to him answer questions, he sounds very much on top of everything. I have wondered how, having known his level of ability for years. Question and answers for a media event should not be staged, otherwise this is injustice to nation which effectively defeats the very essence of transparency and accountability. If State House r Ministers are not ready to face journalists’ hard questions, they should discontinue their propaganda of holding weekly press briefings and Ministers should stop scavenging for journalists at MBC to write good stories about their useless visits to government institutions or projects. Let them use the pro-MCP media entity, Times to do that. After this media house has already proven a failure. They broad cast their news half of the total news time. And what they broadcast is not hard news at all. There is a lot happening in Malawi but they run their news broadcast for 15 minutes or less out of the alloted 30 minutes. This is laziness and carelessness, immature and unprofessional as far as broadcasting is concerned. BRAVO MISA MALAWI.
MISA has nothing sensible to say other that indulge in criticism……..freedom of information act was operationalised under this Tonse government, journalists have the freedom to access any information they need from government at any time and not wait for the presidential weekly briefings. What sort of accountability and media freedom is MISA talking about?
The reason why state house vets the weekly briefing questions from journalists is to make sure the the 1 hour air time is not wasted on useless questions, we have seen before in these weekly briefings journalists asking stupid questions that have nothing to do with state house or government affairs.
Malawi journalist sometimes overrates themselves especially those from the nation newspaper. if the journalist was really threatened by a cabinet minister why is he not disclosing the name of the minster
MISA is very disappointing . Do they really think the president should be entertaining bao jokes? Mwalemba mmadzi
You are speaking on behalf of your stupid masters eti? Or you are from Times??
I actually stopped watching the so called State House briefings sometime back. They are too juvenile and only serve to act as a “show-biz” platform for the president’s son-in-law.
We knew it that this will not produce anything its just a waste of time & resources
MCP will remain a party of death and darkness and it will not be late when journalist start disappearing. I have worked with Chimwendo Banda and I know what he is capable of doing. Munthali and Chitete will soon disapper.
You are DPP and there is nothing good you can say about MCP