The Malawi Chapter of Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA Malawi) has described Friday’s closure of Times Group offices as an attempt by government to silence the media house.
The Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) closed offices of Times Group, publishers of Daily Times and Malawi News and owners of Times Radio and Times TV, over unpaid taxes.
But in a statement released on Friday and signed by MISA Malawi Chairperson Thom Khanje, the media body stated that the closure of Times Group is ill-timed though they do not condone default on taxes.
According to the statement, MISA Malawi believes the closure is just a way by government of trying to stop the media house from further publishing on the maizegate scandal.
“We do not condone default taxes, but we strongly believe that the closure of Times group is ill-timed and can be easily construed as an attempt by government to stop the media house from further publication of ‘maizegate’ stories specifically and silence critical voices generally,” it stated.
The statement said the closure is coming barely weeks after the Agricultural Development and Marketing Cooperation (ADMARC) sought an injunction restraining the media house from publishing stories involving the maizegate scandal.
MISA Malawi also expressed worry that the closure of Times group by MRA will deny Malawians access to relevant information and is likely to tarnish the image of President Peter Mutharika’s regime.
The media body has argued that the best move for MRA was to engage Times Group and resolve the matter in an amicable manner.
Meanwhile, Times Group has obtained an injunction restraining MRA from seizing its property and closing its offices.
malawi watch your acts!
MUSACULUSE ZOLEMBA NGATI WA BARBAR SHOP AKUPELEKA NSONKHO INUNSO NDIKACANI MULIBE CISONIETI
Pay tax
Ma rabish
Is this true? They can close station without you?
MISA!they never paid their revenue
I support misa malawi! Let these fools keep fooling with their criminolity! They must find their on time not this time all criminals must be exposet to the citizens of malawi
Misa mwasowa chochita condem eti?munayamba mwafufuza kaye musanayankhule zopusa zanuzo mwenzi wina uliwonse ndikudulidwa msonkho ndiye mudziti fwefwe
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Poor people pay tax then we want to shield the rich by condemning the government action. ..thus totally wrong, these media houses when they see you not paying taxes they report you and persecute you until you are pinned. …they exercise no mercy with their prey…but alas it’s them who are breaking the law. …let them dance in their own tunes now as were those that they reported. ..this confirms that there is no one above the law! !!!!
Nice one…whether it’s politics OE what azipereka tax a times WO #likaswe
Mr Mbewe, mukunama nkhani ili apa siyamisonkho ai koma boma lanu la (DPP) likufuna aliyese aziwombera mmanja, nde dziwani kuti palibe amene angalole kumangowombera mmanja silizose. JOICE BANDA akulamula panaliso radio imene inkayankhulila inu a dpp kudzela mwa Slvester Namiwa ndi nzake, kunyoza a JB ndipo ife timati mwina iwowa poti akuona zomwe zikulakwika mwina akatenga boma a dpp zinthu zisintha koma mmmm.. kumatiso bola konkuja nde pano mwayamba kutuma MCRA kutseka radio zimene zikuulutsa ubve wanu..? ai paja pali mau amati muyeso omwe ukumuyesela wina naweso uzayedwa ndiwomwewo.
Asiyeni ma cadet awa
Pliz pay tax for Mutharika and Chaponda to eat them.
Aaa KUTEREKO ACHINA BRIAN BANDA sapereka msokho?
Iwe mzandale izi boma lili ndi ngongole zngat.amatan kutseka ma office aboma?peter ndi chaponda atopa bola bingu
Chakhomba ulipo??? Aaa OVALA NYANDA SALUMPHA MOTO gifty……TIMES yo ndi sukupanga NDALE???? DISO KULIPA DISO
Any reporter z avictim 2 the trueth on f u r nt doing wel n gvmt
But zoti times sikulipira msonkho za bodza???? We av to respect our leaders….lero AKUTUKWANA KAPITO ati wadya banz pamene iyeyo wafufuza bhobho ZA chimanga..is is fair ?
pay tax and shut up
It means for good???
Just as i condemn them for tax evation
niggaz dont wanna pay tax” close the shit & lock ’em up 2″
Koma zirikoliko ku Malawi
This Muthalika is developing into a dictator
what is a chichewa word for #dictator
Fotsek pay taxes dont just condemn
kusapereka nsonkhoko ndiye itinso imemeyo
what about condeming beating of MBC reporter by TIMES staff??