Media body, MISA Malawi is questioning government over the appointment of the new Director of Information Chikumbutso Mtumodzi whose role was not advertised and did not undergo a competitive recruitment process.
A statement from the media body says the appointment does not correlate with remarks by Information Minister Gospel Kazako who emphasized that government aims at ensuring that all appointments undergo due processes.
Kazako made the statement when government terminated contracts for the then DOI and his deputy Mr. Mzati Nkolokosa and Deogratias Mmana respectively.In reaction, the media rights body says it finds the appointment of public officers without due processes as unfortunate and a betrayal.
The body has also expressed fears that the trend may creep into other media bodies such as the Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) and Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) which have been equally abused in the past.
Among other things, MISA Malawi has asked government to address such concerns saying that media statutory institutions can only thrive if there is no political influence in appointments of officers.
Mtumodzi was once State House spokesperson for late president Bingu wa Mutharika.He was appointed by Bingu wa Mutharika from December 2009 up to 2011 and former president Joyce Banda appointed him from September 2013 on a similar position.
In 2016, Mtumodzi was removed from office and replaced by Gerald Viola.He also worked as deputy principal secretary in the ministry of disabilities.
