Media Freedom contributor articles in Africa

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Malawian journalists bemoan lack of NGO support

Media practitioners in Malawi have bemoaned what they described as lack of support from non-governmental organisations whenever journalists are experiencing oppression and persecution.

By Gregory Gondwe 30 Apr 2012

Late Mutharika still fights media

Although the late president of Malawi, Bingu wa Mutharika has passed, his past relationship with the media still continues to show face.

By Gregory Gondwe 25 Apr 2012

Malawi ready for World Press Freedom Day

The Malawi chapter of the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA-Malawi) has announced how charged media practitioners are for this year's celebrations of the World Press Freedom Day (WPFD) on 3 May 2012.

By Gregory Gondwe 23 Apr 2012

Malawi using archaic laws to persecute media

The regional secretariat of the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) has observed that the Malawi government is using archaic pieces of legislation to persecute the media and it has since asked government to stop the tendency and provide a more enabling environment for media freedom, freedom of expression and ultimately citizen empowerment.

By Gregory Gondwe 12 Mar 2012

Mutharika to arrest journos who 'insult' him

Malawian president, Bingu wa Mutharika has through his state house press officer Albert Mungomo, issued a warning to the media and non-governmental organisations that they risk being arrested for continuously insulting and vilifying his governance style.

By Gregory Gondwe 12 Mar 2012

Journalists Austin Mackell and Aliya Alwi on their Egyptian ordeal

On 11 February Australian freelance journalist Austin Mackell and Egyptian translator and fixer Aliya Alwi were arrested in the industrial city of Mahalla. They spent 56 hours in jail before lawyers secured their release, and the investigation against them is ongoing. Theresa Mallinson caught up with the pair in Cairo to find out more about their ordeal and how being in limbo is affecting their work and lives.

By Theresa Mallinson 5 Mar 2012

University releases journalism practice book

Department of Journalism and Media Studies of the Polytechnic Constituent College of the University of Malawi has released a 228-page book titled Journalism Practice in Malawi: History, Progress and Prospects.

By Gregory Gondwe 2 Mar 2012

Civil society body bars state journalists

Civil society organisations in Malawi received a whiplash on Tuesday, 14 February 2012, following a decision to send away journalists of the Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC), who had come to cover a news conference they were hosting.

By Gregory Gondwe 16 Feb 2012

Media grows despite challenges

In a report released by the Civic and Political Space Platform (CPSP), a group of civil society organisations in Malawi, it was established that the media in Malawi has had positive growth over the last two years, despite numerous challenges which almost derailed its progress.

By Gregory Gondwe 2 Feb 2012

Local newspaper questions MACRA

Sunday Times newspaper, owned by Blantyre Newspapers Limited (BNL), has through a recent issue, questioned the conduct of the Malawi Communication Regulatory Authority (MACRA).

By Gregory Gondwe 24 Jan 2012

Journos could boycott Mutharika's presser

Malawian journalists are considering whether or not to boycott president Bingu wa Mutharika's organised press conferences, called 'Press Rallies', since it is done in the presence of political party cohorts who heckle journalists whenever they ask questions.

By Gregory Gondwe 23 Jan 2012

[2012 trends] Media trends in Africa for 2012

The continent's future is tied to its media. Free open media promises much for flourishing democracies and economic growth, but authoritarian states will struggle to let go of controls.

By Oresti Patricios 19 Jan 2012

Someone is watching Kenya's media

In the last four months, Jackal News has broken all barriers and become the source of news and gossip on the happenings in the Kenyan media space. Carole Kimutai caught up with Bogonko Bosire, who says he owns news and gossip, asked him about media in Kenya and China investing in media.

By Carole Kimutai 16 Jan 2012

Media conditions in Malawi worsens in 2011 - MISA

The Malawi Chapter of the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA-Malawi) has said 2011 saw Malawi's media environment deteriorate to the worst as observed from 2009.

By Gregory Gondwe 6 Jan 2012

CPJ report: 52 journalists jailed in Africa

There are currently 52 journalists imprisoned in Africa, in nine countries. More than half the jailed journalists are held in that scourge of media freedom - Eritrea. The most disturbing news to come out of CPJ's recent report on journalists behind bars, is that the trend of imprisoning journalists - often on trumped-up charges - has seen a sharp increase over the last decade.

By Theresa Mallinson 12 Dec 2011

Government backtracks on oppressive media law

Government has backtracked on a piece of legislation that was repressive to the media, after it was amended to give power to the information minister to ban any material should the minister deem it harmful to the public.

By Gregory Gondwe 8 Dec 2011

Mutharika defends repressive law

President Bingu wa Mutharika has defended the amendment of Section 46 of the Penal Code which gives the information minister power to ban any publication or its importation should the minister deem it harmful to the public.

By Gregory Gondwe 2 Dec 2011

DRC journalists harassed in election build-up

As the Democratic Republic of Congo's 28 November election date draws closer, intimidation of journalists is escalating. NGOs Reporters Without Borders and Journaliste en Danger are sufficiently concerned about the situation to write an open letter to officials, asking them to secure the safety of journalists during the election.

By Theresa Mallinson 7 Nov 2011

Angola tense as journalists, protesting youth targeted by government

Barely three weeks after an Angolan judge thought to be a member of the ruling MPLA (People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola - Labour Party) handed down a two year-suspended sentence to a journalist and fined him US$105 000 (about R840 000), another Angolan journalist is being threatened with harm and possibly death by armed gunmen believed to be working for the government.

By Issa Sikiti da Silva 1 Nov 2011

MISA warns on journos death threats

The Malawi Chapter of the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA Malawi) has warned that the image of the government of Malawi risks being extensively tarnished if journalists continue to receive death threats from unknown government agents.

By Gregory Gondwe 25 Oct 2011

Govt. presents two witnesses against journo

Government says it has identified two witnesses to testify against journalist, Ernest Mahwayo, in a case where he was accused of conduct likely to cause breach of peace.

By Gregory Gondwe 24 Oct 2011

Malawi: Police summon three journos, one gets death threats

The year 2011, while still not yet finished, could easily pass as the worst for the Malawi media which continue to suffer police persecution.

By Gregory Gondwe 14 Oct 2011

MACRA cautions radio stations for provocative programmes

The Malawi Communication Regulatory Authority (MACRA) has cautioned two local radio stations for broadcasting programmes, one where President Bingu wa Mutharika was insulted and the other one for airing programmes that could spark the country into religious strife.

By Gregory Gondwe 11 Oct 2011

Malawi public institutions not media friendly - MISA Malawi

A 2011 study by the Malawi Chapter of the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA Malawi) has yet again revealed that government ministries and departments are still not open and free to give out information and therefore not transparent and accountable to the citizenry.

By Gregory Gondwe 7 Oct 2011

Media defender demands damage claims from journo

Collins Mtika, the deputy president of Journalists Union of Malawi (JUMA), a body mandated to protect media practitioners, has threatened to take a journalist working for Nation Publications Limited (NPL) to court if the company does not pay him K2m in damages.

By Gregory Gondwe 5 Oct 2011

Fired Malawian radio journo gets death threats

Joseph Mwale, the radio journalist fired for allegedly publicising a recorded audio interview with Peter Mutharika, Malawi's foreign affairs and international cooperation minister and brother to President Bingu wa Mutharika, is said to be receiving death threats.

By Gregory Gondwe 30 Sep 2011

Eritrea's disappeared journalists, ten years later

A decade ago Eritrean President Isaias Afewerki shut down his country's independent press, and arrested 21 journalists and politicians. He's detained many more of his citizens without trial since then. With no free media left to report on their fate, news of the prisoners has been hard to come by, but the ten-year anniversary of their disappearance has brought renewed calls by international NGOs for their release.

By Theresa Mallinson 26 Sep 2011

Journalist released on bail as he changes plea

Ernest Mahwayo, the journalist arrested this week for snapping pictures of the residence of Malawian President Bingu wa Mutharika, has been granted bail. Limbe Dalton's first grade magistrate, Annie Chikhadzula, also granted the journalist an application where he requested that he change his plea.

By Gregory Gondwe 16 Sep 2011

MISA-Malawi elects new NGC

The Malawi Chapter of the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA-Malawi), on Saturday 10 September 2011, elected a new National Governing Council (NGC) amidst protest from members who were against some proposed changes suggested by the body's headquarters in Windhoek, Namibia.

By Gregory Gondwe 13 Sep 2011

Angola: Tensions rise, journalists attacked at protest

Africa's second biggest oil producer, Angola, is in turmoil - a real turmoil for the first time since the war ended in 2002. Analysts believe last weekend's anti-government protest in Luanda was a clear sign that over 80% of Angolans were tired of living in extreme poverty, while the MPLA elite and their cronies - led by veteran president Jose Eduardo dos Santos - continue to enrich themselves. And journalists paid a heavy price of that turmoil.

By Issa Sikiti da Silva 8 Sep 2011

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