Joyce Banda accepts live public scrutiny
MANGOCHI-For the first time in the history of democracy in Malawi, people will have an opportunity to ask the President on national issues through a live radio programme on December 31 2012.
President Joyce Banda has accepted to be interviewed live on Zodiak Broadcasting Station (ZBS) during which people will be given a chance to ask her questions through telephone calls and short message services (SMSs).
Pilirani Phiri, editor for both ZBS and Zodiak Online news, on Thursday said: “As Zodiak, we believe that there should be an interaction between the governors and the governed; hence, this initiative.â€
Phiri said ZBS is thankful to the President for accepting the phone-in interview. He said the live programme at her official lakeshore retreat of Chikoko Bay in Mangochi will start from 9am.
Phiri pleaded for maturity from members of the public, urging them to ask questions that are relevant and bordering on policy and not political hatred.
Said Phiri: “However, we have all the facilities to ensure that only polite people get this chance to ask the President a question.â€
Presidential press secretary Steven Nhlane also confirmed that Banda will interact with Malawians through the live radio programme which, he said, will accord her an opportunity to hear Malawians’ views on various issues.
Said Nhlane: “Her Excellency is a grass-roots President who likes to interact with the people. At this time when people are suffering because of the poor economy, the President feels for the people.
“The idea is, therefore, to interface with members of the public and get to hear their views on various issues affecting Malawians, but at the same time, enable the President to get her vision and agenda to the people and how her government is fighting hard in its efforts to fix the broken economy her government inherited.â€
Nhlane advised people who would like to participate in the programme to prioritise their questions since time might be limited. He also said it would be important to stick to issues of national importance and not on petty politicking.
JOYCE BANDA
Tags: Joyce Banda
Comments (3)
Daph Walker
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Atawononga-wononga kale. Kusamvela wachita kuja pa 8 months kwaononga kwambiri to the exent that inflation has risen from single figures to more than 30% and exchange rate for Malawi Kwacha is deplorable. She can not attone for this by pretending to be listening now just because she knows that she will lose 2014 elections if she continues with her conduct. Why was she not listening in the first place? She is not a leadership material, that is it? People would have symmpathized with her somehow, koma mpaka kukagawa ufa? Pulezident ali tunu-tunu pagulu. Unacceptableand what she is doing now is not democratic but tricks to buy favour. Sakusiyana ndi Buluzi mlongo wake. The destruction Joyce has done to Malawi in 8 months, no other president has done in such a short period and there is no way she can reverse that because the evidence of her works is clear. Ndi munthu woyipa. What did her husband, her son and their 15 person entourage do to deserve a 5,000 pounds a night hotel in London at the expence of Malawians during olympics? Check this http://www.bbc.co.uk/i/b01/phq2c/. It is abhorring and now she comes up to say she is open to criticism? I doubt and my foot
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Ade
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Inu a Daph Walker mulibe chanzeru chonena? Wawononga chani president? Who told you that she will lose 2014 election. It is stpid people like you who are praying day and night that things should not work out and you become angry when the government is doing something positive. Museguka mimba because soon things will change and you will have nothing to talk about.
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Daph Walker
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Opusa ndinu a Ade amene you pretend to be blind on obvious issues. Denial is not solution. One can not waste time praying day and night for the obvious. Better prayer to God than to satan while dressed in black kuti wina afe ine ndilamulire. Sizikupindulirani monga m’Malawi to deny reality. What is positive with spending K2.4+billion in 5 months when one is supposed to spend K1.8billion in 12 months? Is that right? Soon, when soon? Ine sindingatseguke m’mimba ndi mandasi, sorry. A stubborn person can not bring change and know this that I am not the partisan type. Anthu opanda mtima for the poor ordinary Malawian who is on the receiving end of all this stupidity and you think by writing and brushing aside reality you will make things work right, nay! At least you reckon that God can answer prayers of the praying poor, shock!
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