The Media Institute For Southern Africa (MISA)- Malawi Chapter has asked President Lazarus Chakwera to allow Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) and Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) to operate without political interference.
MISA-Malawi Chapter Chairperson, Tereza Ndanga made the appeal in a statement made available to the publication. She said the media regulatory body MACRA and the state broadcaster MBC fails to work professionally due to political interference.
“MBC and MACRA require transformation that goes beyond changing the leadership of the two institutions to legal reforms that guarantee independence and security of leadership positions.
MACRA should not be used to censure private media houses and MBC should not be used as a propaganda tool for the party in power but a platform for diverse and robust debate on matters of national interest,” said Ndanga
She further appealed to President Chakwera and his vice President Saulos Chilima to respect freedom of expression and Access to information.
“ It is our sincere hope that the Chakwera and Chilima leadership will respect constitutional guarantees on media freedom, freedom of expression and access to information, which are all central to building a sustainable and vibrant democratic dispensation,”
Misa-Malawi Chapter also congratulated Chakwera and Chilima for winning the fresh presidential elections which was held on Tuesday, 23 June 2020 following the nullification of May 2019 presidential elections.
