By: Feston Konzani
Following the ongoing allegations by the public funded Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) connecting the Speaker of the National Assembly to a stolen laptop at the Ministry of Finance, the opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) is threatening to sue MBC over the allegations.
Speaking in a telephone interview with The Malawi Star on Monday, MCP Spokesperson Jessie Kabwila hinted that MCP might consider bringing a defamation case against MBC.
“It is very unfortunate that a taxpayer funded institution like the MBC has reduced itself to a mere political puppet for the DPP. MBC is funded by people from all parties and all walks of life and as such there is no reason as to why they should behave as if they are paid to be broadcasting government propaganda,” Explained Kabwila.
She went on to decry how the once mighty Malawi Broadcasting Corporation, which was the heart and source of all reliable information in the country, has lost its touch with the Malawian public by allowing itself to be so highly politicized.
“MBC was the heart and a reliable source of information for many years in this country. How has it come to this? How has the mighty fallen to the disgrace of many Malawians who once trusted it to provide them with reliable facts regarding this country that they have and continue to call home?
“I know that and not only myself but many Malawians have stopped watching or listening to MBC because they know that all they will hear are reports that glorify the DPP while demonising everyone else. It’s a sad state of affairs for a public broadcaster to have a political master who is pulling the strings directing it to be turning whichever side the master wants it to turn.” Kabwila said.
On the alleged connection between the stolen laptop and Richard Msowoya, Kabwila was quick to point out that the CCTV footage is not enough to connect the offence to either Msowoya as a person or MCP as a party.
“This is a defamation on Msowoya as a person just to demonize him as well as tarnish the image of the MCP as a leading opposition party in this country. Last time I checked, defamation was indeed a crime and people can be sued over this. So if MBC continues to make these unfounded allegations, they should also know that they are breaking the law and as such committing an offence for which they can be sued,” Continued Kabwila.
She went on to state that MCP categorically and unreservedly deny any connections alleged or otherwise to the said theft of a laptop from the Ministry of Finance premises and she went on to say that cases in this country are not tried by the media but the courts.
“If either the MBC or their political masters, the DPP, think there is a case connecting our mighty MCP to this low state of affairs then I have this to say to them; DPP should grow up and MBC should stop working for and as a branch of DPP. As a public funded institution, they are an embarrassment to the nation.” Concluded Kabwila.
MBC has been reporting that Msowoya used his PA to steal the laptop from the said ministry with the aim of spying on the government.
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