Nkhotakota Community Radio celebrates 10th anniversary
Dancing, poetry, comedy, drama and speeches were top of the bill as Nkhotakota Community Radio celebrated its 10th anniversary since it started broadcasting in 2003.
Hundreds of people including politicians such as People’s Party (PP) shadow parliamentarian for Nkhotakota Central, Clement Stambuli and Pastor Brown Mpinganjira (Minister of Information and Civic Education), who was guest of honour, attended event.
The radio was supposed to celebrate its anniversary last year but failed due to some logistical problems instead it was done on January 31st.
The celebrations started with a minute of silence in honor of two presenters Billy Banda and Ganizani Njanje who died in 2010 and 2013 respectively.
Subsequently, Robert Mubaya and Peter Mazingaliwa the radio’s first presenters where paraded to the audience. The two are no longer with the radio.
Alhaj Rashid, the radio’s Station Manager also paraded all members of staff of the radio to the jubilant crowd.
Rashid thanked the staff members and the entire Nkhotakota community for their support in running the radio.
He requested the minister of information and civic education to consider providing trainings for the radio’s staff in order to have professional journalists.
In his remarks, Stambuli (former information and civic education minister) gave a quick history of the radio and the support he had personally rendered during its establishment.
Board chair for the radio, a Mr. Mkolola urged government to help employees of the radio who work on volunteer basis if they could be receiving salaries.
He also requested government to assist the radio in renovating their building which is in bad state.
Mkolola also disclosed that the radio had plans to launched a television station in the next three years.
Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) Director General, Charles Nsaliwa, thanked employees of the radio and the community for making the radio one of the best five community radio stations in Malawi.
In his speech, Mpinganjira promised that government would look into the challenges presented to him.
“I believe similar problems are also with other community radios. I’m hopeful government will solve them once and for all,” he said.
During the event, the radio also presented awards to various employees. The long serving member award went to Kaka Ali Phiri who walked away with K5, 000.00 while Ausi Chiphazi Chabwera Ndungu and Moses Kaluvi (DJ Krazy Cul) got the best and runner-up positions in the presenters’ category. They received K5 000 and K3 000 respectively.
The best program was A Malawi Munyimbo seconded by Mkoke mkoke.
Speaking to Nyasa Times, Chabwera who has won the best presenter award for five consecutive years said he would want to further his education so that he joins national radio stations.
Nkhotakota Community Radio was the second community radio to hit the country’s airwaves after Dzimwe Community of Mangochi.
It started on 21st November, 2003 with eight staff members but currently it has 16.
The radio covers Salima, Ntchisi, Nkhatabay, Likoma, and parts of Mzimba on 101.9 FM and it has large listenership than other community radio stations in the country.
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