By Chisomo Phiri
MISA Malawi has strongly condemned the assault of Television Islam reporter Yasin Limu by three Mighty Mukuru Wanderers Football Club supporters.
In a statement, the media body’s chairperson Golden Matonga says the incident happened few minutes into a Super League of Malawi (SULOM) game between Wanderers FC and Kamuzu Barracks Football Club at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre on Sunday, April 7, 2024.
According to Matonga, in the assault, a TV Islam camera tripod and Limu’s wrist watch were damaged.
Says Matonga in a statement:”The assault happened when the supporters were chasing sports reporters out of an area normally reserved for the media covering games at the stadium.
“Two of the three supporters who assaulted Limu and damaged the items have been identified as Dolf and Harry.”
He adds:”Barbaric acts against journalists in their line of duty should not be tolerated. What the three supporters did is a violation of media freedom and the right to access information, fundamental rights enshrined in the Malawi Constitution.
“We demand disciplinary action on the supporters by the club. The Malawi Police should also investigate, arrest and prosecute the assailants.
“This is not the first time that supporters of a Super League club have assaulted a journalist. In 2023, Silver Strikers supporters also assaulted Smart Chalika of Kasupe Radio and the trend has a chilling effect on sports journalists.”
The MISA Malawi chairperson says football is a beautiful game that the media has covered for many years and that acts of barbarism that threaten the lives of reporters and football lovers need to be flushed out.
He has however, called on football authorities in the country including Football Association of Malawi (FAM),SULOM and club administrators to take decisive action against individuals who are creating an environment of fear and intimidation for sports reporters and bringing the game into disrepute.
