Malawi: Court grants respite to Muluzi radio station

Joy Radio, owned by former Malawi president Bakili Muluzi, re-opened on Monday, two days after the authorities shut it down for breaching licence terms that bar politicians from owning radio stations. "An ex-parte injunction heard on Sunday at the High Court allowed us to switch back on," Mavuto Chapuma, head of technical services at Joy Radio, said Monday.

The station's lawyer, Ralph Kasambara, a former attorney general, obtained a court order that stopped the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) from closing the station.

He said the order was valid for two weeks before hearing is conducted, during which both parties will be heard by judge Healy Potani.

MACRA's Head of Broadcasting James Chimera said the authority Friday revoked the licence of Joy with "immediate effect because it flouted regulations."

He said Joy Radio had originally registered as a private independent radio station, but "handed over ownership of the station to politicians which is against the law".

Chimera said Malawi laws bar politicians or political parties from owning radio stations.

"But Joy Radio is wholly owned by the Muluzi family with the former president himself chairing its board of directors," he said.

Joy Radio was inaugrated by former Tanzanian President Benjamin Mkapa shortly before Muluzi retired as president in 2004, after serving his constitutional two five-year consecutive terms.

MACRA, which regulates broadcasting in Malawi, and the government of President Bingu wa Mutharika accuse Joy Radio of running inflammatory programmes against the administration.

Joy Radio has become Muluzi's main propaganda machine, often demonising President Mutharika and his government.

Muluzi ironically single-handedly anointed Mutharika as his successor, after he failed to amend the constitution to allow him to stand for a third consecutive term.

But Mutharika turned against his one-time mentor, ditching the ruling United Democratic Front to form his own Democratic Progressive Party after accusing his former party leaders of high level corruption.