State owned Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) does not buy any views from its listeners that appear to be critical of the Peter Mutharika leadership.
In a phone-in program aimed at getting people’s views on whether vice President Saulos Chilima should step down for not reporting for duties and flying out of Malawi on ‘private trips’, the unexpected came from one caller.
The caller who identified himself as one Patrick Chidzanja from Area 36 in Lilongwe, while agreeing that Chilima might be flouting the law, then took turns at the DPP over a reported MK145 Million loot, known better as the police ration scam which centre on Mutharika.
He then slammed MBC journalists for giving the issue a deaf ear accusing them of not being professional.
“Aside from the issue of Chilima stealing our money, there is also massive corruption in government. Remember there is the issue of MK145 Million which the President (Mutharika) signed for. We don’t know how it was used. You MBC reporters are stupid,” he said.
Before he could finish, host Hope Chisanu cut the line and proceeded with the program.
Chisanu was quick to tell the caller that the issue was not the topic before ending the call.
MBC has over the years been accused of shielding the government on vital issues by lying closely on the neck of its critics and the opposition.
At some point, this year, the Malawi Congress Party reported the station to the Malawi Communication Regulatory Authority over biased programming.
Lately, the MBC has taken huge turns on Chilima who broke away from the DPP to form the United Transformation Movement.
Although the movement is yet to be registered as a political party, it has been earning massive numbers from defectors including those from the DPP and MCP.
Analysts told Malawi24 earlier this year that with the levels of competition ahead of the next year’s polls, Malawi’s democracy will be up to test.
