By Chisomo Phiri
The Parliamentary Public Appointments Committee (PAC) has summoned the board of directors of the Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) to account for the recruitment process that led to the appointment of the institution’s new Director General (DG) Brian Banda.
The meeting, which was initially set for Monday afternoon at Parliament Building in Lilongwe, was postponed to this coming Saturday and relocated to Salima, a development that has sparked questions over the change in venue.
PAC vice-chairperson Joshua Malango informed committee members that the MBC board would not be available for the Monday sitting due to other prior commitments.
“We have been informed that the MBC Board will not be available today due to other commitments, and the meeting has since been moved to Saturday in Salima,” said Malango.
The committee is expected to examine the procedures, criteria, and compliance with public service recruitment guidelines used in the appointment of Banda as the public broadcaster’s DG, following increased public scrutiny of the process.
Banda’s appointment earlier this year drew criticism from some media stakeholders and governance commentators, who raised concerns about transparency, including whether the position was openly advertised.
Others also questioned his academic and professional qualifications for the senior role at the state broadcaster.
The controversy then prompted the the Office of the Ombudsman, which opened investigations into the recruitment process amid allegations of irregularities.
Before his appointment at MBC, Banda worked as a journalist and television presenter for a number of media houses and also held various roles in government communications.
