National Overview Malawi 2011 - Media Institute of Southern Africa

AlertDate: September 23, 2011Person/ institution: Civil SocietyViolation/ issue: OtherTalks between government and thecountry’s civil society have hit a snagfollowing a decision by the rights groupsto temporarily pull out of the talksclaiming that lives of some Civil Society(CS) leaders are in danger. Talks betweengovernment and CSO leaders began on16 August 2011 with the United Nationsteam in Malawi led by the UN residentcoordinator Richard Dictus, as mediator.AlertDate: September 23, 2011Person/ institution: Civil SocietyOrganizationsViolation/ issue: OtherSome Civil Society Organizations (CSOs)in the country are urging members ofthe public to stay away from work forthree days from 21 September, to forcePresident Bingu Wa Mutharika to addresswhat they describe as poor economicand governance issues. Coincidentally,Malawi and the rest of the worldcommemorated world peace day on thesame day.AlertDate: October 12, 2011Person/ institution: MalawiCommunications RegulatoryViolation/ issue: LegislationThe country’s communications regulatorybody, the Malawi CommunicationsRegulatory Authority (MACRA), has issuedwarnings to two private broadcasters,Capital FM and Radio Islam forvarious offences. According to a publicnotice published by MACRA on October7, Capital FM has been warned forbroadcasting a programme in which acaller insulted the country’s state presidentBingu Wa Mutharika during thestation’s ‘Day Break Malawi Programme’of 28th April, 2011.CommuniquéDate: October 12, 2011Person/ institution: MISA-MalawiViolation/ issue: OtherThe golden padlock award for the mostsecretive government institution has forthe first time since 2009 been acceptedby the Ministry of Energy, NaturalResources and Environment. The awardwas given out on October 5, 2011 at anevent in the capital Lilongwe, where theMalawi Chapter of the Media Institute ofSouthern Africa (MISA) unveiled resultsfor the 2011 Right to Know Researchstudy. During the same event, the goldenkey award, which is given to the mostopen and transparent governmentinstitution, was awarded to MalawiBureau of Standards (MBS).AlertDate: October 12, 2011Person/ institution: Robert ChasowaViolation/ issue: OtherOne of Malawi’s leading pathologistsDr. Charles Dzamalala from College ofMedicine, a constituent College of theUniversity of Malawi, has said a 25-yearoldPolytechnic student who died undercontroversial circumstances, did not84So This is Democracy • 2011