CCAP wants govt to open up MBC
The CCAP General assembly has expressed dismay that despite appeals by the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) and other stakeholders for the public broadcaster MBC to open up to all political parties, this has not happened.
The CCAP, in a press statement issued after its general assembly in Lilongwe this week, appealed to MBC management and government to open MBC television and radio to all political parties to provide them equal opportunities during the campaign.
MBC beams live all campaign rallies held by President Joyce Banda’s governing People’s Party (PP), and rebroadcasts them in the evening.
But PP deputy publicity secretary Ken Msonda in an interview yesterday said President Banda categorically urged MBC to open up, arguing if the public broadcaster has not opened up, MBC management was better placed to explain.
MBC director general Benson Tembo could not be reached for comment on his mobile phone, but he is on record to have said the broadcaster opened up to all political parties.
Information Minister Brown Mpinganjira was not available for his comment on this and other issues raised by the church.
The church, which asked Malawians to not vote for someone who wants to win people though handouts, also appealed to voters to choose a God-fearing candidate, and not liars or foul-mouthed individuals.
On the Cashgate, the scandal that saw billions of kwacha being stolen under the PP administration, the CCAP General Assembly observed that publicising names of those involved in the scandal would help to deal with corruption.
Reads the statement: “It is likely that the new government after May 20 will still have looters in the system and the practice of looting public funds will continue.”
The General Assembly also bemoaned lack of transparency and truthfulness surrounding the story of the sale of the presidential jet which it said is characterised by contradicting statements and lies.
The CCAP General Assembly also condemned homosexuality, arguing that the church’s teaching is clear that a man marries a woman and vice versa.
