The invisible coronavirus that has scored huge across the globe keeps attracting expenses in Malawi with information indicating that owners and managers of broadcasting institutions expect about 400 million Kwacha to join in the fight against the virus.
In a leaked memo addressed to regulator MACRA, the ministry of information has submitted that broadcasting stations in Malawi need almost half a billion to join the fight against the coronavirus.
According to the memo signed by Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Thokozire Banda, 13 media houses have requested for monetary support in the fight against the virus which has claimed three lives in Malawi.
The memo pegs the Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) as in need of a hefty 100 million Kwacha towards its efforts at fighting the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Private broadcaster Times has run second claiming that it needs a support of 51 million Kwacha while Zodiak Broadcasting runs third with a need of 50 million Kwacha.
Mibawa television has claimed 41 million. A few millions above Adventist Media Centre which has claimed 22 million Kwacha.
Community radios Tigabane and Chisomo are the lowest claims pegging their value at 10 million Kwacha.
The memo does not carry any specific information on how the money will be used by each of the 16 stations whose accumulative total of claim is 388 million Kwacha.
Recently, the Peter Mutharika led government has come under fierce criticism for allocating a bigger chunk of resources to non-essential work in the fight with the coronavirus.
