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State of the media in Southern Africa 2002
SPECIAL REPORT
DATE: 2002-03-14
PERSON(S): Burundian national coach, Nsazurwimo Ramadhan
TOPIC: Unethical behaviour of The Sun reporters
On Sunday 24 March 2002, Malawi police arrested three reporters
belonging to “The Sun” newspaper for assaulting and harming
a football coach at a shopping mall in the country’s commercial
capital, Blantyre.
Police spokesman George Chikowi said in an interview that the
three reporters, Chikumbutso Mtumodzi, Thom Chiumia and Ken
Ndanga, pounced on the Burundian national coach, Nsazurwimo
Ramadhan, in the mall as he was shopping with his wife on the
evening of Friday 22 March.
Chikowi said Ramadhan, who has coached Malawian clubs for
over two years, was rescued by a Criminal Investigation Department
(CID) policeman.
The three reporters, said Chikowi, attacked Ramadhan again as
he was leaving the mall after the CID policeman had left. “They
beat him up in front of his wife and threatened to kill him with a
panga knife,” he said.
He said the police arrested the trio and their aide, Davie
Chipembere, following a complaint by Ramadhan.
Chikowi said the reporters were out on bail and would appear
before a court of law very soon.
The incident occurs at the same time as media institutions in Malawi
such as Namisa (National Media Institute of Malawi) and the
Media Council are engaging government in dialogue to check violations
of media freedom mostly by political operatives.
2002
Background Information
“The Sun” runs a vicious propaganda campaign for the ruling
United Democratic Front (UDF) party. The newspaper attacks
everyone deemed critical of the UDF and its stalwarts.
Ramadhan came to Malawi to coach Total Big Bullets Football
Club but was fired under mysterious circumstances. State President
Bakili Muluzi is a strong supporter of the club.
Ramadhan later picked up a job with MTL Wanderers Football
Club but was sacked in similar circumstances. MTL’s supporters
include the presidential affairs minister and UDF director general,
Dumbo Lemani (patron) and presidential adviser Humphreys
Mvula (chairman).
72 So This Is Democracy?