Govt sends MBC’s Tembo packing

Government has fired Dr Benson Tembo from his position as director general at Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) about two months before the expiry of his contract, Weekend Nation has learnt.
Tembo, who widely earned respect for his professionalism, met MBC’s board chairperson Moffat Banda Friday morning where he was told about the decision.
Information, Tourism and Culture Minister Kondwani Nankhumwa said in an interview earlier on Thursday that Tembo was being re-assigned to Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (Macra) as a technical adviser on digital migration.

Tembo, whose contract was expiring on April 9 this year, said the development took him by surprise, but quickly said he believes in taking new challenges.
Tembo said his secondment to Macra is with effect from January 6 2015 to April 9 2015, the date his contract is expiring.
“I have worked well with my superiors and I have never been reprimanded for anything. I will move on to take the new challenge,” he said.
Tembo, whose contract was renewable at MBC, said he could not tell what happens after April 9, but said if his services would be required at MBC, he would go to serve the nation although he could not “tell what the future holds”.
Nankhumwa said Tembo’s deputy, Aubrey Sumbuleta, would take over running of the institution in acting capacity until further notice.
The minister dispelled any fears that the decision was political.
Both Nankhumwa and Tembo said the long-time broadcaster will move with all entitlements he enjoyed at MBC to Macra, except for a vehicle which would be provided by Macra.
Last year, Tembo was controversially sent on forced leave by the People’s Party (PP) administration on May 23 2014 after he did not comply with a directive to cover live former president Joyce Banda when she delivered a statement on the aftermath of the tripartite elections at the Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe. The decision was, however, rescinded almost 24 hours after it was made.