Nyasatimes is true about NPL Journalists

Out of all my work at Nation Publications Limited, one thing I have come to be accosted is accusations of where my loyalty and that of my newspaper lie. Towards 2009 General Elections I did a story on African Union trying to ask former President Bakili Muluzi not to run again. I was instantly accused of being DPP. Some obscene amounts of money were said to have been paid to some of us, unfortunately, that money never reached out pockets.
In December 2010, I got a close call from a colleague at the State House, I was warned of appearing on minutes of Journalists who included Raphael Tenthani, Brian Banda and others working for Joyce Banda.
I have never worked for Joyce Banda in any capacity, I respect her as a politician and grassroot mobiliser, but I am not a member of any structures of Peoples Party. Even that ridiculous suggestion that we met in Blantyre was strange that someone decided to create minutes that were not only stupid, but undermined our capacity as thinkers that we would write self-incriminating minutes.
By the way, I told someone senior in Government, that sources of minutes of any suggested secret meeting means they were in attendance.
Then the label changed when I covered John Tembo for some weeks in Parliament, I had suddenly ditched the Peoples Party and joined Malawi Congress Party, some documents to the effect were produced and passed on.
Early this year I did a story on MCP President John Tembo's constituency, suddenly I was back as a DPP sent Journalist. I am not sure if I have a political party.
I have deliberately left Atupele Muluzi and UDF from this label, because suddenly I have moved from DPP to Atupele Muluzi's task force.
When the time comes, this blog will endorse the best assessed candidate for Malawi, that is a democratic choice.
Now it is true that Intelligence officials went to the Road Traffic to seek our number plates. If they bothered to call me I would have told them. Two vehicles are registered in my name. The vehicle I am using is now a Toyota carina LA2012. How I procured it, ask NBS Bank and NPL.
This stupid idea of saying NPL reporters got vehicles from opposition or NGO's is just ridiculous and if that's what you told your bosses , you should be fired.
At Road Traffic, they will show you the title holder of most NPL vehicles.
As to where we go or who we meet, hey we are Journalists, we meet everybody from Kamlepo to Joyce Banda, Atupele to Professor Peter Mutharika. We are not in anybody Task Force and our work is the most visible- we publish after meeting these people.
You should not have wasted your time to check my number plate, I could have driven it to any DPP rally or offices, I have done that many times and I do not intend to change vehicles just like that.
By the way if the NGO's and the Opposition can by vehicles for Journalists, why does the DPP, the richest party at the moment not do the same? Of course we have our own Mabvuto Bamusi and Fryson Chodzi as good examples of why not to mingle with the ruling party.
Nyasatimes story was true, but nobody is afraid, anything happening to us, Malawians know who is hunting us! Tikumane pa Bwandilo!


Comments

Godfrey munthali said…
That only shows the government has lost direction. Keep up the good work brother
April 1, 2012 at 11:34 AM
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