Africa-Press – Malawi. Just one month into his tenure as Director General of the Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC), Brian Banda is facing serious accusations of turning the state broadcaster into a political weapon—this time targeting Vice President Jane Ansah.
Highly placed sources have told Nyasa Express that Banda has issued direct instructions barring MBC journalists from covering any events involving the Vice President, in what insiders describe as a deliberate and coordinated blackout. If confirmed, the move points to a deepening fracture within the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
Banda’s appointment initially raised hopes of reform at MBC, with expectations that he would steer the public broadcaster towards professionalism and political neutrality. Instead, within just 30 days, those expectations appear to be collapsing.
In April alone, MBC conspicuously failed to cover the Vice President on at least three major occasions:
•The Easter parade in Lilongwe
•Her attendance at the funeral of Father Damaseke in Likuni
•A high-profile event in Mangochi yesterday
The pattern is difficult to dismiss as coincidence. It suggests a systematic effort to erase the country’s second-highest office holder from the public narrative—despite the next general election still more than four years away.
Sources within the DPP allege the blackout is part of a broader internal power struggle. Senior party figures—whose names are being withheld—reportedly view Ansah as a serious contender in the 2030 succession race and are moving to neutralize her influence early.
“The fight is about 2030,” said a senior party insider. “Jane Ansah represents a future that some powerful figures are determined to block. What you’re seeing at MBC is not journalism—it’s strategy.”
The alleged campaign against the Vice President is said to go beyond media exclusion. Insiders point to growing pressure on Ansah to resign, alongside a string of smear attempts, including claims that she is plotting to take over government from former President Peter Mutharika and a controversial, unverified “UK trip” narrative.
Within party ranks, Ansah is viewed by some as a formidable figure—her legal background, strict adherence to principles, and reputation for incorruptibility making her both an asset and a threat in a high-stakes political environment.
What makes the situation more alarming is the role of a public institution.
MBC, funded by taxpayers and mandated to serve all Malawians, now stands accused of selectively silencing a constitutionally elected leader. If true, it raises serious questions about editorial independence, abuse of state resources, and the integrity of public information systems.
Calls are now growing for Parliament to urgently investigate alleged political interference at MBC, amid fears that the broadcaster is drifting further from its public mandate.
Compounding the controversy, Banda himself is currently under investigation by the Office of the Ombudsman over the circumstances surrounding his appointment.
For now, the silence from MBC is deafening.
And in that silence, a bigger question lingers: who is really controlling the national broadcaster—and to what end?
For More News And Analysis About Malawi Follow Africa-Press
