Africa-Press – Malawi. The Office of the Ombudsman has launched a formal investigation into the recruitment of Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) Director General, Brian Banda, amid explosive allegations that the appointment may have bypassed basic legal and professional standards.
In a letter dated March 2026, the Ombudsman confirmed that a Notice of Investigation has already been served on MBC, demanding an official explanation over how Banda was hired into one of the most powerful public media positions in the country.
The probe stems from a complaint filed by journalist Davie Danford Mchinga, who has not minced his words in questioning both Banda’s suitability and the integrity of the process that elevated him to the top job.
“This was not a recruitment process—it was an appointment done in the shadows,” Mchinga alleges in his submission. “The position of Director General was never advertised, there were no interviews, and the public has not been shown any record of the qualifications required for such a critical role being met.”
Mchinga further argues that Banda “does not possess the requisite qualifications for the Director General post,” describing the development as “a direct violation of MBC’s own recruitment procedures and a betrayal of meritocracy in public service.”
Leading the investigation is Martha Ndeyana Kwengwere, Director of Investigations and Research at the Ombudsman’s office, who has confirmed that the institution is now awaiting MBC’s response before determining the next course of action.
“Once we receive a response from MBC, we will advise all concerned parties on the way forward,” Kwengwere said in a formal communication, signaling that the inquiry is entering a critical evidence-gathering phase.
So far, both MBC and Banda have remained silent—an absence of response that is likely to intensify public suspicion rather than calm it.
At the centre of the storm is not just Banda’s appointment, but what critics say is a troubling pattern of opaque decision-making in public institutions. The Director General of MBC oversees the state broadcaster’s editorial direction and national messaging, making the integrity of the appointment process a matter of public interest, not internal discretion.
“There are no publicly available records of Brian Banda’s qualifications for this role,” Mchinga insists. “Malawians deserve transparency, not silence.”
Banda’s career trajectory has been largely in media and political communication. He previously worked for Capital Radio, served as a press officer to former President Joyce Banda, later joined Times Media Group, and was also appointed press officer by President Lazarus Chakwera before his dismissal and return to private media. His sudden elevation to MBC Director General last month has now triggered one of the most high-stakes governance questions facing the public broadcaster.
The Ombudsman has urged restraint, calling on the public to allow due process to take its course. But the investigation is already shaping into a defining test of accountability.
If the allegations are substantiated, the fallout could be severe—not only for Banda, but for those who orchestrated or sanctioned the appointment.
At stake is more than one job. It is the credibility of public institutions—and whether rules in Malawi are applied equally, or conveniently ignored when it matters most.
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