Africa-Press – Malawi. Malawi has turned into a police state under Reverend Lazarus Chakwera’s Tonse Alliance government as there are willy-nilly arrests of individuals deemed not pleasing the leadership of its failure to run the shows of the state.
For instance, James Makopa, a freelance journalist with experience in providing livestream services to various organizations and church leaders, became associated with Bakili Muluzi TV, an online platform that focused on “as it is happening” programs.
He covered a wide range of events, from demonstrations to political rallies, in early 2023 when the platform was primarily focused on Malawian and African history. However, the situation took a different turn when Bakili Muluzi TV asked Makopa to expose grand corruption within Chakwera’s administration.
Sensing the potential danger and fearing for his safety, Makopa declined the offer, despite tempting offers of a higher salary. This decision led to his parting ways with online television.
After leaving Bakili Muluzi TV, Makopa resumed his career as a freelance journalist, providing livestream services to various events and organizations, including Shalom ministries and gospel artists. His livelihood depended on these services, from covering church events to graduations, funerals, and memorials.
The circumstances leading to his arrest are rooted in a complaint lodged by a Rwandan national who claimed that Bakili Muluzi TV had posted a video in June 2023 aimed at tarnishing the image of the Rwandan government.
However, it’s essential to note that this complaint and the release of refugee-related clips by Bakili Muluzi TV occurred after James Makopa had already left the platform.
During this period, while the television was exposing alleged grand corruption schemes within Chakwera’s administration, Makopa was seen freely attending various public events in Blantyre, feeling unattached to the platform’s operations.
The Malawi Police’s arrest of James Makopa raises questions about the arrest’s validity, as he has no current connection to Bakili Muluzi TV. The platform’s real manager, based in South Africa, has stated that Makopa’s arrest was misguided and offered to provide his location for the police.
The manager even vowed to release a new video challenging the arrest, which was duly released, emphasizing that their source of information about Chakwera’s administration corruption came from State House and Capital Hill.
In light of this situation, critical questions must be asked: Does the Malawi Police believe they can easily find the individual behind Bakili Muluzi TV on the streets, considering the perceived threat to Chakwera’s administration?
Do they genuinely expect someone associated with Bakili Muluzi TV to be residing in the country? And is it reasonable to think that James Makopa, who resigned in March 2023, would be aware of Bakili Muluzi TV’s whereabouts?
The situation surrounding James Makopa’s arrest raises concerns about the Malawi Police’s handling of the case and the potential misidentification of those responsible for the controversial online content.
The current police state tendencies continue to remind 31 years of Malawi Congress Party (MCP) autocratic rule full of terror, killings which Malawians said no in 1994 for a democratic society.
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