Key journalists axed at Malawi newspaper giant Times

Longest serving and most esteemed journalists Limbani Moya, Felix Mponda, Jack McBrams and Akwete Sande have been fired from Times Media Group in what the company calls restructuring and re-organising process.

Moya was editor for Malawi News while Mponda deputy editor for the Sunday Times and Sande was a sub editor. McBrams was editor for an entertainment supplement in Malawi News called Weekender.

Others dismissed journalists are Otuli Munlo who was editor for a female supplement in Malawi News. Henry Mchazime, a Business Times reporter is also fired.

Another casualty affected the sales and marketing department with veteran officer Emma Mwasinga getting the chop.

The dismissals took place last week just after the company issued a statement that it would chop part of its staff because of the hostile economic environment.

The restructuring process has seen 28 employees being laid off while some 35 employees previously hired as casuals or interns have had their positions regularized as permanent employees.

Managing director of the company Leonard Chikadya said he regretted that the company was forced to discontinue certain unprofitable lines and merge certain functions to remain afloat.

“Management is saddened that the restructuring process will entail loss of some of its dedicated members of staff,” reads part of the statement.

The company last year fired another 44 employees for similar reasons.