US embassy cable - 04LILONGWE403

UNCLAS LILONGWE 000403 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR AF/PD, AF/S 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, KDEM, KPAO, MI, Media, Political Issues 
SUBJECT: STATE-OWNED RADIO HALTS OPPOSITION 
BROADCAST 
 
REF: A) Lilongwe 400 
 
B) 03 Lilongwe 1202 
 
1. (SBU) Opposition presidential candidate and 
First Vice President Justin Malawezi's interview 
on state-owned Malawi Broadcast Corporation 
(MBC) was halted after only 15 minutes of an 
hour-long program.  Malawezi, formerly of the 
ruling United Democratic Front (UDF) but running 
as an independent, was criticizing the 
government for overspending, over taxation, and 
poor performance in relation to the Agriculture 
Development and Marketing Corporation (ADMARC). 
 
2. (SBU) According to the news anchor, the 
Assistant Controller of News entered the studio 
after the first 15 minutes and signaled for the 
program to stop.  The anchor told PAO he did not 
t 
immediately stop the program because he was 
confused by the interruption.  The Assistant 
Controller, speaking on a mobile phone with whom 
the anchor presumed was MBC's Deputy Director 
General, then went to the Controller of Programs 
seeking assistance in stopping the interview. 
At the Controller's insistence, the program was 
cut, and the radio station completed the hour 
with music.  (NOTE: The anchor told PAO that he 
fears he will be suspended for not stopping the 
program immediately after being told to do so. 
End note.) 
 
3. (SBU) Comment.  The muzzling of Malewezi by 
state radio does not come as a surprise.  The 
bias of MBC has been well-documented by the 
Malawi Electoral Commission's Media Monitoring 
Unit and by the independent press.  MBC, along 
with the UDF leadership, has been especially 
hard on Malewezi since his defection from the 
ruling party.  With four days until polling day, 
this latest incident is further proof of the 
lack of a level playing field in state-owned 
media. 
 
Browning