Chaponda regrets DPP threats to media freedom

Leader of Opposition in Parliament who was chairperson of the concluded DPP National Convention Dr. George Chaponda, has regretted over the unfortunate incidents where Nation Publications Limited (NPL) journalists were intimidated by some DPP supporters while on duty covering the proceedings of the DPP elective Convention in Blantyre.

Chaponda has assured Malawians that DPP remains committed to upholding media freedom and promoting a positive working relationship with journalists claiming that DPP leader Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika is a democrat and values the media.

Writing in a statement, Chaponda expressed his disappointment over the way MISA Malawi chose to issue a public statement without engaging him or the party leadership observing that this will make some people to be tempted to believe that MISA statement is aimed to overshadowing the DPP Convention success Convention’s value their role in the country’s democracy and we will continue to work together to ensure a free and fair press,” reads Chaponda’s writing on the wall.

In the statement, MISA Malawi says intimidation of journalists and forced deletion of stories are a huge affront to media freedom and the right to know and such behavior has no place in democracy that birthed party politics.

MISA Malawi has assured Malawians that journalists are ready to render their services in the interest of the public, and creating an atmosphere of animosity for journalists covering events and activities in the run to 2025 elections is a criminal disserverv to the nation.

Meanwhile, a Malawi Congress Party (MCP) diehard of Mvera in Dowa district Rodgers Kamphangala, has described the DPP Convention as a success saying the Convention has put to shame the devil who was praying hard that it end in tears.

Kamphangala said enemies of the DPP tried all of what they could for the Convention to be disrupted but God has proved that He is of the living and is alive, all the evil plans that were made that the convention marred with confusion, misunderstanding, and violence, were sent to the planners.

He said the DPP Convention proved to itself that those who were at the center of bringing center confusions in confusion were no longer with the party, they were fired either to form their own parties or join the existing ones in Malawi.

“Let’s give credit when it is due, congrats DPP for holding a successful convention, the devil has been defeated, and democracy has won,” said Kamphangala.