Kazako Calls’ MPs to Work on Media-Friendly Laws

Managing Director of Zodiak Broadcasting Station (ZBS), Gospel Kazako, has called on Members of Parliament (MPs) to pass laws that are good to for Malawians and media-friendly.

Kazako said this on Wednesday evening at Parliament during a reception the media house held for the newly-elected MPs, saying some of the laws that are passed by parliament make media operations difficult.

“It is this very same house that ensure that we pay very high taxes when importing equipment such as transmitters. It is this house that passes bills that ensure that news prints are taxed.

“It is this house that ensure that SMSs are taxed. SMSs are part of media. People must participate in social world; it is this house that passes such draconian laws. These are some of the challenges that make our work difficult,” he said.

Speaker of parliament, Catherine Gotani Hara, said she will make sure that during her tenure in office, there is smooth operation of the media especially when reporting on parliamentary activities.

“What we will do is to sit down, look at what has been done before because it is not like there is nothing that has been done. There are activities that have been ongoing. We need to look at how best we can ensure that our private media is also participating and get the support they need,” she said.

Media Institute for Southern Africa (MISA) Malawi Chairperson Teresa Ndanga said, “There is no reason to hide from the media if you will be doing the right things. Where the Constituency Development Funds are being utilized for the betterment of lives of so many Malawians who are living in poverty, the media will write that good story.  But where these funds are abused and the people who entrusted you with this office see no tangible change, they will speak to the media and the media will write,” she said.

This was the first interaction between the current parliament and a private media organization.