Nyasanet and professional integrity

MNS and a certain man on national web chat nyasanet claims that the story of African Union (AU) mission to Malawi headed by Former President of Ghana John Kufuor and Former President of Mozambique Joachim Chissano is a creative piece of propaganda and that the authors, who includes me have been bribed by State House to write the same.
Unfortunately, I only read Nyasanet and dont normally respond to attacks on the media, I respect freedom of opinion and more importantly I believe people who have issues should learn to call others.
If in my professional career I am supposed to side with a particular individual then I am sorry to all who believe in that. I have worked for both independent and public broadcasters, there is nobody who has managed to successfully tie me up with a political party. And nobody will ever do that until I join as an individual active politics.
I have done stories against by own prospective father-in-law who happens to be in cabinet, he has called me to his office and we have agreed to a professional and personal demarcation. The same with the party in Government.
Actually nobody in Government believed we do a professional coverege until statistics from Malawi Electoral Commission proved them wrong, that we had done many positive stories on Government than any other party.
I speak and have well placed freinds in all systems and parties, some of them good sources others something else.
People in my newsroom have joked about it that I can change colours faster than anything, but those that have seen my coverage, talk and even sometimes participation in issues know that it all ends in public, I write.
My affiliation is to writing and will not fear anybody or side with anybody.
For the allegations made by the author of Nyasanet article, I feel sorry for them, as while they were insulting and making wild allegations, I was with the UDF publicity secretary Rob Jamieson, agreeing and disagreeing on merits and demerits of the article. He is an Editor and Publisher, he understands the terrain well than some people.
When I read through the article online, I felt sorry for those that I have trusted as sources to turn some of their own words and attribute them to me. I respect my sources but they should not drag me to defending their skewed positions.
The story that has started all this came from the UDF people and today some are in forefront of cleansing themselves.
I have heard of phones calls, insinuations from the highest authority in the party that even the owner of my paper had a hand in the story, or that someone has paid me to do such a story.
I know these are elections time, my simple advice is that dont take some of us for fools. I use my professional and human skills to develop and sustain my life.
All I have bought, built (yes I have built a house in low density in Mzuzu) has come from my life long career as a Reproductive Health, Youth and Social Development worker. I do consultancies with real institutions.
I have worked with the Government, United Nations, political parties, local and International Agencies. Very soon I am signing a consultancy with a continental body on development of youth volunteerism. These are some of my sources of income. My freinds and family know who I owe and what I do. Not politics.
Finally, attacking people does not bring votes to your table,I have found people lacking. When I spoke at a public debate of presidential candidates hiding runningmates, I said all of them from DPP, UDF, MCP to Petra. I dont choose in my critique of issues.
I will one day write more about some of things some people say behind and change afterwards.
For now, as I learnt from the preacher John Lasu from Uganda yesterday evening, dont waste time talking of the negative. I hope I have not said anything negative.
I pray and wish those that have negative minds towards my writing to have Gods abundant mercies that they can try to walk and live in truth.
By the way, the last time I met Chikumbutso Mtumodzi was at a funeral of a freind at Area 18 cemetry and it was in public. I dont meet people in private.

Comments

Managing Editor said…
I am not familiar with the whole story but all I have seen in your writings has been integrity. Do not let a few biased people or sponsered news websites affect the way you have covered politics in our country.
March 5, 2009 at 5:31 AM
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