Malawi's Deputy Information Minister Kingsley Sostains Namakhwa. Pic by Malawi Digest. By Lucy Liponda
Malawi’s Ministry of Information and Civic Education has dismissed a report carried out by the online opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) propaganda tool, Nyasatimes that government recognises the role the organisation carries out in the media industry.
In its propaganda report over the weekend, Nyasatimes which often times publish exaggerated stories away from the true facts, the online newspaper alleged that Deputy Information and Civic Education Minister Kingsley Sostains Namakhwa praised Nyasatimes for reporting news on Malawi to the outsider world.
The report further alleged the Minister pledged to support the organisation in its challenges.
The Ministry of Information and Civic Education is the official spokes Ministry for the Malawi Government, meaning if the Minister really said what Nyasatimes alleged, it would have meant it recognises the propaganda reports that Nyasatimes publishes without due consideration for the journalism professionalism.
In an interview with Malawi Digest this morning on telephone from the Ministry headquarters in the administrative capital, Lilongwe, Malawi’s Deputy Minister of Information and Civic Education Kingsley Namakhwa said that it was most unfortunate that Nyasatimes decided to twist the true facts on what he said at the graduation ceremony for journalists in Blantyre last Friday.
The Minister said the allegations being advanced by Nyasatimes that he pledged to support them were not only baseless but also most unfortunate for the media profession.
“I never said what Nyasatimes alleged. I never said that I browse Nyasatimes every day,”said the youthful Minister who is also Member of Parliament for the ruling DPP for Thyolo Central constituency.
Namakhwa said that what Nyasatimes have done have only confirmed fears that the majority of Malawians had that the news organisation is a propaganda tool for the opposition UDF party and that it depends on cooking up stories in order to tarnish the image of the government and those in authority.
“For a long time, people have questioned the seriousness and professionalism of Nyasatimes and what they have done on my speech only confirms that they are just a propaganda tool that does not need to be taken seriously,” he said.
The Minister challenged Nyasatimes to produce evidence that he really said what the news organisation claimed in its report.
“There were hundreds of graduating journalists and practising journalists from almost all media houses in Malawi, why only them heard that I praised them and not the rest of the media in Malawi. This shows there is something wrong with them and I call upon the people to treat their stories and writings with a pinch of salt,” he said.
Meanwhile, Malawi Digest has got a prepared speech on what the Minister read at the function and there is no mention of him praising Nyasatimes
The event which was broadcasted live on private radio stations MIJ FM and Zodiak Broadcasting Station.
Malawi Digest has also got recorded tapes from both radio stations and the Minister is heard warning and advising the UDF propaganda tool to desist from reporting ill about Malawi.
“With the technology that we have nowadays, the internet seems to be ruling our profession and we tend to rely on the websites we have on the internet but we need to balance up our stories with other websites through other search engines. We have the Nyasatimes, most of you, you know it and I urge that we have to love our country and let us report the right things that are happening in Malawi. Nyasatimes, we know you are there but you have to report the truth otherwise we will get back at you. Let us built our mother, Malawi. We also have the Malawi Digest…you can write this so that when you go back you can check what we have of these websites and many other websites including the Malawi government website.”
This is a direct quote from a recorded tape from the Malawi Institute of Journalism FM radio which also broadcasted the whole function live.
The tape and the prepared speech have clearly contradicted the lies that were spread by Nyasatimes and now with this evidence available, one starts wondering as to how and why should people take this online propaganda tool seriously.
Meanwhile, the national chairperson for the cultural heritage group, the Mulhako Wa Alhomwe, Joseph Mwanamvekha has dismissed another report by the same Nyasatimes that the news organisation spoke to him to confirm the appointment of Hastings Maloya as the group’s spokesperson.
“Nyasatimes are great liers and I never spoke to anybody from them to attribute such a quotation from me. In fact I have been outside the country and I just returned into the country after a week long foreign trip and so I start wondering when they say they spoke to me,” said Mwanamvekha.
Whilst it is correct that Hastings Maloya has been appointed spokesperson for Mulhako Wa Alhomwe, Nyasatimes attributed the confirmation for Maloya’s appointment to the Mulhako national chairperson without speaking to him when in fact he was also outside the country.
Nyasatimes is an online propaganda tool that receives funding from former president of Malawi Bakili Muluzi-Malawi Digest.
Malawi’s Ministry of Information and Civic Education has dismissed a report carried out by the online opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) propaganda tool, Nyasatimes that government recognises the role the organisation carries out in the media industry.
In its propaganda report over the weekend, Nyasatimes which often times publish exaggerated stories away from the true facts, the online newspaper alleged that Deputy Information and Civic Education Minister Kingsley Sostains Namakhwa praised Nyasatimes for reporting news on Malawi to the outsider world.
The report further alleged the Minister pledged to support the organisation in its challenges.
The Ministry of Information and Civic Education is the official spokes Ministry for the Malawi Government, meaning if the Minister really said what Nyasatimes alleged, it would have meant it recognises the propaganda reports that Nyasatimes publishes without due consideration for the journalism professionalism.
In an interview with Malawi Digest this morning on telephone from the Ministry headquarters in the administrative capital, Lilongwe, Malawi’s Deputy Minister of Information and Civic Education Kingsley Namakhwa said that it was most unfortunate that Nyasatimes decided to twist the true facts on what he said at the graduation ceremony for journalists in Blantyre last Friday.
The Minister said the allegations being advanced by Nyasatimes that he pledged to support them were not only baseless but also most unfortunate for the media profession.
“I never said what Nyasatimes alleged. I never said that I browse Nyasatimes every day,”said the youthful Minister who is also Member of Parliament for the ruling DPP for Thyolo Central constituency.
Namakhwa said that what Nyasatimes have done have only confirmed fears that the majority of Malawians had that the news organisation is a propaganda tool for the opposition UDF party and that it depends on cooking up stories in order to tarnish the image of the government and those in authority.
“For a long time, people have questioned the seriousness and professionalism of Nyasatimes and what they have done on my speech only confirms that they are just a propaganda tool that does not need to be taken seriously,” he said.
The Minister challenged Nyasatimes to produce evidence that he really said what the news organisation claimed in its report.
“There were hundreds of graduating journalists and practising journalists from almost all media houses in Malawi, why only them heard that I praised them and not the rest of the media in Malawi. This shows there is something wrong with them and I call upon the people to treat their stories and writings with a pinch of salt,” he said.
Meanwhile, Malawi Digest has got a prepared speech on what the Minister read at the function and there is no mention of him praising Nyasatimes
The event which was broadcasted live on private radio stations MIJ FM and Zodiak Broadcasting Station.
Malawi Digest has also got recorded tapes from both radio stations and the Minister is heard warning and advising the UDF propaganda tool to desist from reporting ill about Malawi.
“With the technology that we have nowadays, the internet seems to be ruling our profession and we tend to rely on the websites we have on the internet but we need to balance up our stories with other websites through other search engines. We have the Nyasatimes, most of you, you know it and I urge that we have to love our country and let us report the right things that are happening in Malawi. Nyasatimes, we know you are there but you have to report the truth otherwise we will get back at you. Let us built our mother, Malawi. We also have the Malawi Digest…you can write this so that when you go back you can check what we have of these websites and many other websites including the Malawi government website.”
This is a direct quote from a recorded tape from the Malawi Institute of Journalism FM radio which also broadcasted the whole function live.
The tape and the prepared speech have clearly contradicted the lies that were spread by Nyasatimes and now with this evidence available, one starts wondering as to how and why should people take this online propaganda tool seriously.
Meanwhile, the national chairperson for the cultural heritage group, the Mulhako Wa Alhomwe, Joseph Mwanamvekha has dismissed another report by the same Nyasatimes that the news organisation spoke to him to confirm the appointment of Hastings Maloya as the group’s spokesperson.
“Nyasatimes are great liers and I never spoke to anybody from them to attribute such a quotation from me. In fact I have been outside the country and I just returned into the country after a week long foreign trip and so I start wondering when they say they spoke to me,” said Mwanamvekha.
Whilst it is correct that Hastings Maloya has been appointed spokesperson for Mulhako Wa Alhomwe, Nyasatimes attributed the confirmation for Maloya’s appointment to the Mulhako national chairperson without speaking to him when in fact he was also outside the country.
Nyasatimes is an online propaganda tool that receives funding from former president of Malawi Bakili Muluzi-Malawi Digest.
Koma a Nyasa Times wa cholinga chawo ndi chani? Ufiti kapena chani. I mean one cannot just go out spreading lies ceaselessly like that. Dont they have any thread of morals. Thank heavens we cross check their stories with Daily Times, Nation and Malawi Digest. Thom Chiumia and his Nyasa Times can go and hang a thousand times.
ReplyDeleteKeep up the good work Malawi's own Digest
chonchobe nanga anakatani paja anazoloweraz kunama.Go on Malawi digest kutiuza zoona.
ReplyDeleteNyuzi yabodza yomwe ine sindinayiwonenso nde ndi nyasatimes. Ndi cha mzeru chani a thug like Thom Chiumia can tell us who doesnt respect women just as he beat up Emmie Chanika at Comesa Hall? His time will come very soon. Where is TOMLI now? ndi mmene adzasowele pa online TC yu nso. Mwina ndi maina a Thom watu
ReplyDelete