Intimidation worries journalists
The Media Institute of Southern Africa (Misa) Malawi Chapter says it is disturbed by the manner in which President Joyce Banda’s news conference was held at Sanjika Palace in Blantyre yesterday on her return from New York in the United States of America.
In a statement signed by its chairperson Anthony Kasunda, Misa Malawi Chapter said the environment in which the news conference was held was not conducive and friendly for journalists to ask pertinent questions that would benefit Malawians who have been waiting to hear from the President on a number of issues that have happened in her absence.
Misa Malawi said it was clear that the presence of the large number of Cabinet ministers, ruling People’s Party officials and supporters was meant to intimidate the media as it was apparent that the issue of looting of public funds at Capital Hill would dominate the news conference.
Reads the statement in part: “The way the President handled the few questions that were allowed also left a lot to be desired as she was interjecting when journalists were asking questions instead of letting them finish the questions. This also gave an opportunity to party supporters to disrupt the flow of questions.
“By cheering and clapping when the President was answering questions, party cadres disturbed the normal flow of information as journalists who were supposed to pay attention were being disturbed.”
The Misa Malawi Chapter said the conduct of party supporters also instills fear in journalists as memories are still fresh when media practitioners who ask questions they deem irrelevant or disrespectful to the Head of State are roughed up.
Reads the statement in part: “Unfortunately, this is happening at a time when we thought the days of ‘press rallies’ are over.
“In a nutshell, the news conference at Sanjika Palace fell short of meeting the standards of a normal news conference. We believe the President lost an opportunity to answer pertinent questions which could be beneficial to Malawians who have waited anxiously to hear from her on how she intends to deal with the rampant stealing going on in government.”
The journalists’ body appealed to the President to appreciate that the media ask questions on behalf of Malawians and she should resist the temptation to personalise the questions.
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