Union feels Mutharika took advantage of poorly paid Malawi journos
The Journalist Union of Malawi (JUMA) has insinuated that Malawi President Peter Mutharika may have taken advantage of poor salaries many Malawian journalists receive in the various media houses to attempt to bride them with K50,000 for fair coverage.
Mutharika is on record of dishing out K50, 000 to over 80 journalists he invited for dinner at his Sanjika state house last Tuesday. The money was contained in browns envelopes which state house press officers said they contained president’s plan for the media.
An editor at the Weekend Nation newspapers George Kasakula was the only person who returned the money immediately after suspecting foul play while other senior journalists carried the monies home and later donated to charity organizations.
But all junior journalists spent the money patriotically without asking any questions on the motive.
JUMA secretary Charles Nkula says the Union has taken this development as an opportunity to raise some pertinent matters concerning the upkeep and welfare of journalists.
“Studies have shown that some journalists survive on allowances pocketed at different functions as their employers fail to meet their basic needs. At JUMA, we are aware that some media houses can afford to pay their journalists as low as MK20, 000 [per month] when the cost of living is far above MK100, 000 per month],” says Nkula.
He said media owners fail to appreciate the bulk of intangible resources such intellectual and social capital that journalists contribute to the media market or to the value of a business.
“We understand that due to varying constraints and low capacity, some media houses cannot afford to provide their workers with the necessary resources such as transport, accommodation and upkeep allowances to cover stories outside their operating base hence the compromise to allow news sources to cover these costs on their behalf.”
Nkula says in the interest of professionalism and maintenance of high ethical standards, the Union is strongly appealing to media owners and managers to consider reviewing the working conditions of journalists.
“We also ask them to improve on the welfare of their workers and families if the profession is not to be thrown into disrepute.”
ngati ali katangale kodi ZAKUDYA ADADYAZO SIKATANGALE out of 80 ndi angati omwe sadadye? SIYANI UTOLANKHANIWU YAMBANI NDALE BAX
Quote, “An editor at the Weekend Nation newspapers George Kasukula was the only person who returned the money immediately after suspecting foul play while other senior journalists carried the monies home and later donated to charity organizations.
But all junior journalists spent the money patriotically without asking any questions on the motive”.
This article is just an attempt to elevate some people; save the so called senior journalists from embarrassment and demonize junior journalists. Zisankho zomwezi?
So even if i invite the journalists to my house for dinner and give them money afterwards that will be bribe?? Malawians lets learn to look at events from all dimensions….
Journalists, thank God that i had resigned from my previous employer. I would have retrieved a document where these branded senior journalist pocketed allowances and signed. The reasons is if you do not give them allowances they do not attend the workshop, symposiums etc. If two institutions organisations are organising different event on the same day. They compare the allowance, if one organisation is giving more than the other, they go for an events that that is paying more.
At first we were not giving them allowances, the turn out was very low.
Some of you received money from our institution! K20,000 apart from picking you and droping you at your place and we have so many Journalists who have received such hand outs before and I have the signatures where they signed because our Institution does not give money without signing for it. So if these have been bribes, return the money!
KODI NDIFUSE NAWO. KODI NANGA ANTOLA NKHANI ENA NDI ENA AMENE ANACHOKA MUTALI MUTALI, AMENE ANAGWILISA NTCHITO NDALAMA ZAWO KUGULA FUEL POPITA KU SANJIKA, KUGULA MALO OGONA NDI CHAKUDYA. NDIYE KUTI SAKUYENELA KUBWEZELEDWA NDALAMA ZAWO?? NDIYE KUTI ANTHU AMENE AMAPITA KUMALO NDI KUPASIDWA NDALAMA ZAPOGONA NDI CHAKUDYA AJA, NDIYE KUTI AMENE AMAPASA AJA AMALAKWISA??? CHONDE A MALAWI TANDIYAKHANI SINDIKUNVESA BWINO BWINO, SINANGA SCHOOL SINDINAPITE NAYO PATALI, NDIYE MWINA INU OPHUZILA INU AMENE MUKUTI NDIZOLAKWIKANU MUNGATHE KUNDI LONGOSOLELA BWINO BWINO CHONDE, INE MALAWI ZANU WAKU MUZI.
midnight six nice.
after for the prize stays president of republic of malawi.
malawi is nice.
justice dont work there so need to live like that for more 4 years
Journalist Union of Malawi(JUMA) releases a press statement on the so-called ”bribe” money from the President and then the very same statement attracts contradictory headlines from different media outlets. While Nyasa Times editorial desk feels that JUMA is of the view that the President ”bribed” the journos by taking advantage of their poverty,Maravi post is of the view that JUMA was actually commending the President for demonstrating a good gesture to the journos who-if truth be told-survive on such allowances since most of them get pittances for salaries. My take is that we have got a perception problem here.Look,has anyone… Read more »
CORRECTION
…come forward and get themselves an envelope [last but not least paragraph]
So you are saying just because they have been doing something wrong all over the place then we dont need to criticise it? Just imagine how often the journos go to town each time they deem some one has not behave the way they should. I hate people who, by virtue of their positions or status or employment, think that they are above reproach. Jornos are one such group of people. Shame on you.
JUMA FIND OTHER WORDS A PART FROM WHAT YOU HAVE WRITTEN, DO NOT MAKE SOMEBODY HAPPY, NO!!!! THE TRUTH MUST BE THERE, DO NOT PROMOTE CASHGATES,CORRUPTION,FRAUD,MALPRACTICE,EMBEZZMENT OF MONEY, ABUSING OF ACCOUNTS AND CASH,SIPHONING CASH AND OTHER DIRTY GAMES IN TEARMS OF CASH HANDLING.MALAWI HAS BE CHARGED AND HAVE FRESH MALAWI.
Musaiwale za Peter Fote. Atolankhani amaishosha akawona kuti sakususa nawo.