UTM apologises to harassed journalists at staged presser
UTM party has apologized to journalists who were caught in a crossfire between their supporters and some youths masquerading as representing the party at a press conference they convened at Lilongwe LEA School on Friday.
A group of people, claiming to be UTM Party youths but later were identified as political mercenaries, had invited the media to the press conference aimed at asking the Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) not to goal ahead with the airports and borders five-day vigils scheduled for Monday, August 26-30
But the press conference ended abruptly after legitimate UTM supporters, led by Jessie Kabwila (one of the party’s national executive committee officials), invaded the venue and started roughing up mercenaries.
In the midst of the confusion, some journalists were also attacked and some badly beaten and injured.
In a press statement signed by publicity secretary Joseph Chidanti Malunga, says UTM registers its profound regret over the unfortunate incident and apologises to the victim journalists.
“UTM would like to assure all Malawians in general, and all journalists in particular, that it remains committed to freedom of the press and all other freedoms enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic of Malawi.
“We would, therefore, like to apologise to journalists who were harrassed in any way and assure them that the party will see to it that such unfortunate incidents do not happen again in future.”
But the statement is signed off with almost a sneer when it says: “It is also important to point out that the security of journalists is always a priority for all press conferences organised by bonafide UTM officials” as if to say the media that responded to the invitation for this particular press conference were just too gullible to rush to the venue.
On some social media posts, it has been indicated that the mercenaries have been identified as indeed been UTM supporters and have since been relieved of their positions and fired from the party.
And they have also been warned that if they will be seen anywhere close to UTM functions, they will be beaten to death.
The youth organized the press conference with the aim of distancing themselves from the demostrations and vandalism which are happening during demonstrations being organised by HRDC.
UTM officials in the first place labeled these members as DPP cadres.
But how can proffessional journalists go to cover a function without having conformation from the party”s secretary general or spokesperson????
Kabwila the certified harlot of Malawi. wherever she goes she stinks.
Thank you for apologising to them. Are you going to compansate them for damages and some of them wil have to lose income while they get themselves better! UTM you are a savage party!! you better chnange
The problem of lebling anyone who is against ur ideas as cadets kkkkkkkkkkk here comes and i asked u some opposition reporters who failed to mention their names while MBC really mentioned them and indeed verified as UTM members. On this note i must give some credit to MCP whose some of its members hold the same press conference but never reacted as these UTM scravengers
Kkkkkkk, kodi munatibula ndi atolankhani omwe?.Kkkkkk koma poti simumadziwa ndiye ndikukhulupilira kuti atolankhani amvetsetsa.
Munachita bwino kuwathibula anyani awa.
Very unfortunate that UTM is using aggressive and brutal tactics long employed by MCP throughout our post independence history. And, why would Kabwila be part of those facilitating the transfer mechanism of these tactics to UTM? After all, she took charge of this assault, and she was expelled from MCP only very recently? Assaults like these were the signature of the so-called old MCP and their leader, dictator Kamuzu Banda. Lately, oChakwera and others, including MCPers on this forum have claimed that oChakwera’s Party is a “new MCP”. Those claims now do not hold water, and are null and void.… Read more »
The beginning of the disintegration of UTM. Democracy failing within UTM party and its a serious warning to SKC to start keeping his house in order. Diversity should be allowed to prevail in the party, and its time MCP traits that dent the party be weeded sooner thn later.
I thought utm and mcp are saying that its the presidential elections that were marred by the so called fraud, these days in court changed to irregularities, now why are seeing a kabwila and chidanti getting involved in presidential elections battles that are in court? A kabwila ndi chidanti kalimbaneni ndi za u mp osati za chilimazi ayi. By the way am watching hot current on times tv but eish brian banda sli ndi mkwiyo ndi dpp bolaniso kasakula. Akuchita kukamba ngati kuti mtambo ndi trapece anali president and vice president pachisankho. You brian you are stupid. Timadziwa ndiwe wa… Read more »
“Kkkkkk anaatibula kkkkkk,” – APM
kkkkkkk your name !