Kondwani Munthali -Malawi

When I applied for another Health Journalism programme, this time based in Africa, Kenya was my first choice followed by Uganda and South Africa. I love the three countries, but Uganda in terms of Health Journalism I thought they are well covered, South Africa is a great place to visit and enjoy places like Rhodes University in Grahamstown next to Port Elizabeth. I ove Durban and its many opportunities, and I would wish to live in Cape Town. Johannesburg is too fast for me and many will agree. However my choice was Kenya, and in his great wisdom, God decided that time was not ripe for me to work in Kenya. I first visited Kenya in 1997 and was introduced to tribes that co-existed fully and indeed were an envy amidst turmoil.My first President Ngwazi Kamuzu Banda only erected one statue of a human, Kenya's first president Mzee Jomo Kenyatta. In all main cities of Malawi there is a Kenyatta road. Both men carried a fyling whisk while both preferred their companions to be refer...

Happy New Year, New Year resolution: Happy New Year to all visiting my blog in 2008. We have left 2007 behind and as Malawi we carry excess luggage into the New Year. I have been out of here to avoid being seen as campaigning for a Fellowship in Health Journalism or my new job after holding interviews. The results are in, I didnt make it for the Fellowship but I got my job back after six years in Broadcast media. Personally I have left the Malawi Broadcasting Corporation, a place I have called home for slightly over six years. MBC is a great place to work, more challenging politically and professionally. I know I will miss my colleagues but not the system. I want to agree with many Malawians that the Corporation has sunk to its lowest levels professionally that sticking around the place casts doubt on your integrity. This is a place where young professionals fight for presidential trips, this is a place where a health story will not be priotised over a dead mans letter written in 2000....

30-Thousand State approved Murders? Mandatory HIV testing for pregnant mothers….. Capital Punishment, popularly referred to as death sentence is provided for in the Laws of Malawi. Since 1993, no one has been hanged, despite having many people sentenced to death. Former President Bakili Muluzi found it against his conscience to sign a death warrant. President Bingu wa Mutharika too is yet to sign one. As a Catholic, I doubt if he will during his reign. Effectively, the statute is available to warn would be perpetrators of evil to know that they can be sent to gallows. However, the State approved mothers still continue in the Health sector. I have as a Journalist refused to make my stand known on abortion as a right to the woman or the right to life for the unborn child. Similarly, I will never share my views on Capital punishment despite being a good Christian. But for the last two years, two close friends became widowers at the age of 27 and 31 respectively when their wives died on de...

Cancer in Malawi and the need for urgent action The American Cancer Society graciously offered me a scholarship to attend the African Cancer meeting in Cape Town, South Africa in November, 2007. It was my second return to Cape Town. This time again I met Anso, a committed South African Health Journalist and Robert my good friend from Zimbabwe. He is a story of his own. Malawi has lost since September 2006 three remarkable women to Cancer. On December 24, 2007 I joined hundreds of who is who of Malawian society to bury Kate Kainja-Kaluluma at Lobi in Dedza. It was raining, but from President Bingu wa Mutharika, Aleke Banda, Luis Chimango, Friday Jumbe, Nga Mtafu, Besiton Majoni, Loveness Gondwe, Lillian Patel and even my dad were all there to bury the woman who they described as a woman of “substance, wise, great and development conscious” Kate Kainja was the Minister for Women and Child Development and a founder of hosts of gender, child development and education foundations. She was o...

Effective January 2, 2008 I have gone back into print media. Thanks for all the support you gave me in 2007 and during my broadcast years. More details will follow. Happy New Year to you all!

December is a busy month, we lost Kanyama Chiume, we were commemorating the death of Kamuzu, World Aids Day, the Global Health Council announced Malawi as a site for the first ever candlelight memorial day, then there are coupons, politics, James Phiri. I would love to make a comment. Yesterday Malawi admitted that we dont have statistics based on a reliable survey to examine the extent of the multi-drug resistant TB. Of course Blantyre hada cholera scare after water went AWOL. The UDF convention has been postponeed. I had to attend the Media Institute AGM and of course work on African Healthcare Journalists Network. I am also working on the candle ligt media programme from January. Then UNICEF/MISA Child Health and PMMCCT programme that will culminate into various awards. I am sure its been busy for most people. However, early next week I should be able to tell what I will be doing come 2008 and that will determine how I can respond to issues in Health, Journalism and Africa. If I don...

I am no longer sure if joining a public service to reach out to masses would be measured by what one gets as a reward. Low pay in public service such as my work place and then when you want to put stories that will be of public importance, someone decides to engage in a verbal battle with the Judiciary. When I say some places, you ask yourself, why am I still here. Why cant I live a professional and fulfilling life. Why should I be associated with one of the worst forms of professionalism and be labelled as such when you walk around town. I have gone into serious thoughts about some place where I want to be Jaunary One. If you are a professional, it pains to see someone throwing the whole integrity and professionalism to dogs. I think, its time to be at some place. It was great to work home!!!!