As the World is commemorating the World Press Day today,the human rights grafting body, Human Rights Defenders Coalition ( HRDC) has asked the current Chakwera’s Tonse government to fully committ itself in creating the conducive environment for journalists.
The human rights body Chairperson Gift Trapence has made the call through a statement 247 Malawi News has seen.
In a statement, Trapence says media plays a crucial role in disseminating information and contribute more in the development of this country therefore, a need for journaliststo be respected.
Gift Trapense
Trapence says time has now come for the government to stop intimidating and doing unnecessary arrests of the journalists.
He adds that journalists cover the untruth to fight corruption as well as checking the abuse of power and demand of transperancy from those in power.
” As we cerebrate world press freedom day today there is a need to acknowledge a grim landscape where efforts to silence media should decrease,” says Trapence in a statement.
Journalists around the world commemorate world press day on May 3 every year and this year’s theme falls under ” journalism and digital siege” which weighs in on digital era impaction, freedom of expression, the safety of journalists, access to information and privacy.
As the world commemorates World Press Day, Leader of Opposition in Parliament and DPP Vice President for the South Kondwani Nankhumwa has urged the Tonse government to stop muzzling Press Freedom in the country
Nankhumwa’s full statement is as follows
“Today, 3rd May, is World Press Freedom Day. I wish to congratulate all journalists in Malawi as they join their friends across the globe in commemorating this very important day.”
This year’s theme, according to the United Nations, is “Journalism Under Digital Siege”. The theme is intended to highlight the multiple ways in which surveillance and digitally mediated attacks endanger journalists and journalism.
In 1994, Malawi embraced democracy. Freedom of the press is enshrined in the Republican Constitution under section 36. The access to information law also took effect in September 2020, which we all celebrated as a big step forward towards fully consolidating our democracy.
Kondwani Nankhumwa
So far, the media has played a crucial role in strengthening democracy in the country by providing the necessary information for citizens to make informed decisions. As the ‘fourth estate’, the media has performed exceptionally well in holding the executive arm of government accountable for its actions.
However, according to the 2022 Freedom of the Press Index published by Reporters Without Borders, Malawi has slipped in ranking from 62 in 2021 to 80 in 2022 in terms of promoting freedom of the press and access to public information by journalists.
I am not surprised by this huge fall in ranking because it appears that the Tonse Alliance government, under President Lazarus Chakwera, has brazenly gone full throttle in muzzling press freedom, including harassing and arresting journalists for merely doing their job.
A case in point is the recent arrest of social media commentators, including a nurse, Chidawawa Maine, and Mr. Joshua Chisa Mbele, as well as that of Director of Platform for Investigative Journalism (PIJ) Gregory Gondwe, on 5th April, 2022.
As journalists commemorate this very important day, I would like to call upon President Chakwera and his government to resist the temptation of taking Malawi back to the one-party totalitarian practices where journalists were arbitrarily arrested and detained for many years for reporting the truth. Under that one-party oppressive regime of the late Ngwazi Dr. H. Kamuzu Banda, journalists were forced to toe the party line and to always glorify the ‘Ngwazi’ as a demi-god.
As Leader of Opposition in Parliament, I will not fold my hands and watch the Tonse Alliance government snuff away various freedoms that Malawians gallantly fought for in 1993 and 1994, including the freedom of expression. We shall, therefore, continue to push for the removal from our statutes archaic laws that impede media independence, and the safety of journalists in Malawi in conformity with our democratic dispensation.
On Tuesday morning President Chakwera engaged journalists in what was described as Breakfast with Journalist at the state house in Lilongwe
President Lazarus Chakwera has once again told the media of his commitment to preserve and defend the Constitution of the country in which media freedom is placed.
Speaking at Kamuzu Palace during the breakfast he prepared for media professionals on Tuesday, May 2,2022 as the world commemorates the World Press Freedom Day, President Chakwera assured the media in the country that he and his government are committed to preserve and defend the Constitution provision that concerns media profession.
“On this World Press Freedom Day, I thought to invite all of you media practitioners or professionals, or journalists here, so that I could assure you in person of my personal resolve and my government’ commitment to the preservation and defence of the Constitution provision that concerns your profession in particular.” Said President Chakwera in his speech.
President Chakwera engaged journalists
The President further quoted Section 36 of the Constitution to emphasize his point on the need to give total freedom to the media.
“The Press shall have the right to report and publish freely within Malawi and abroad, and to be accorded the fully possible facilities for access to public information.” Quoted Malawi leader.
He then added that time has come to identically twin Sections 36 and 35 of the Constitution for prudence since the country is now living in the digital age where much of information is accessed through social media by many people.
President Chakwera also told the media that he will not at any time react in the manner that infringes the freedom of the Press and expression even if offended or embarrassed, saying same must apply to all government agencies, officers and citizenry, but he was quick to say such offences and embarrassments can be reported to regulatory bodies and courts for proper action following the rules of justice, adding that behaviors such as arrests, cyber bullying, hacking, or harassment due to defamation by media has no space in the democratic and free society.
President Chakwera also pointed at a need to harmonize some laws to take out those that criminalize and punish the exercise of freedom to be amended through Parliament.
Malawi leader has since commended MISA and Media Council and said such organization need to be celebrated for their efforts to exercise media rights responsibly, and credibly with accountability.
This year’s World Press Freedom Day is being commemorated under the theme “Journalism under digital siege.”
TN Stars on Monday recorded their first victory in this year’s TNM Super League season after beating Dedza Dynamos 2-1 at Civo Stadium in Lilongwe.
The visitors got their first goal in the 37th minute through a powerful strike by Alexander Cosmas.
Substitute China Chirwa came with the second goal for the Kasungu-based side in the second half from the penalty spot before Clement Nyondo scored Dynamos’ consolation.
TN stars players celebrating
Towards the end of the match tempers flared forcing the referee to show Dedza Dynamos goalkeeper Donnex Mwakasinga red card for punching TN Stars’ striker Philip Banda and the latter was also given marching orders for time wasting.
Despite the win, TN Stars remain bottom on the log table with five points from eight games while Dedza Dynamos are perched on position 11 having accumulated eight points from seven games.
Dedza Dynamos’ Clement Nyondo has now joined Royal Bokosi of Red Lions and Trouble Kajani of Rumphi United as leading scorers in the league with four goals each.
In another match played on Monday, it ended goalless between Moyale Barracks and Ekwendeni Hammers in a match that was played at Mzuzu Stadium.
Ekwendeni Hammers are now on position 9 with ten points from eight games while the Kaning’ina Lions are on number 13 with seven points from nine games.
TNM Super League defending champions Nyasa Big Bullets have announced the signing of Ghanaian defender Isaac Badu.
The 30-year-old centre back has signed a two-year deal with the People’s team and he will be with the club until 2024.
Badu alongside central midfielder Bright Agogo,arrived in the country last week and watched the Ndirande outfit beating Ekwendeni Hammers 4-1 at Kamuzu Stadium on Sunday.
The players have been undergoing trials for proper assessment and so far the Kalisto Pasuwa led-technical panel has been impressed with Badu but haven’t given details about Agogo.
