Airtel, TNM sponsor Blantyre Press Club meet

Leading telecommunications companies Airtel Malawi and TNM yesterday donated K500 000 each for Blantyre Press Club to hold a post-election evaluation conference in Mulanje this weekend.

The conference, which is the first for the club, aims at looking at how the media performed before, during and after the May 20 Tripartite Elections.

Speaking after receiving the donation, club president Blessings Kanache hailed the companies, saying the conference is crucial for the media and the nation.

“We believe in responsible reporting to maintain peace in the country and the recent elections had everything that could have triggered violence. We know there are some areas where the media did not do well, as such, we will take advantage of the conference to reflect on how we performed,” said Kanache.

In separate interviews, TNM marketing manager Sobhuza Ngwenya and Airtel Malawi zonal business manager for South Christopher Chitosi said their relationship with the media has been good and they consider responsible reporting as vital not only in elections but also for development and continuity of peace in the country.

Three other companies, SS Rent a Car, Safintra and Toyota Malawi, have assisted with a bus, K120 000 and K100 000, respectively.

Apart from journalists, the conference will be attended by representatives from various organisations that played different roles in the elections.