Wanderers, FAM, SULOM, Police demanded to take decisive action on supporters assault of journalist Yasin Limu

* 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

* Which are fundamental rights enshrined in the Malawi Constitution—MISA Malawi

By Duncan Mlanjira

Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Malawi Chapter is appalled following the assault of TV Islam reporter Yasin Limu by three Mighty Wanderers FC supporters, two of which are identified as Dolf and Harry.

MISA Malawi observed that the incident happened few minutes into Wanderers’ opening match of the TNM Super League 2024 season against at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre last Sunday.

“In the assault, a TV Islam camera tripod and Limu’s wrist watch were damaged,” reports MISA Malawi’s chairperson, Golden Matonga. “The assault happened when the supporters were chasing sports reporters out of an area normally reserved for the media covering games at the stadium.

“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 and the Malawi Police should also investigate, arrest and prosecute the assailants.”

MISA Malawi takes cognizant that “this is not the first time that supporters of a Super League club have assaulted a journalist” and gave an example of an incident of 2023, when Silver Strikers supporters also assaulted Smart Chalika of Kasupe Radio.

“The trend has a chilling effect on sports journalists,” contends MISA Malawi. “Football is a beautiful game that the media has covered for many years and acts of barbarism that threaten the lives of reporters and football lovers need to be flushed out.”

MISA Malawi thus asks Football Association of Malawi (FAM), Super League of Malawi (SULOM) and Wanderers’ administrators — led by the team’s president, Thom Mpinganjira — to take decisive action against the individuals “who are creating an environment of fear and intimidation for sports reporters and bringing the game into disrepute”.

In February, president Thom Mpinganjira issued a stern warning to Mighty Wanderers supporters, particularly those in Lilongwe, against succumbing to violence and hooliganism during the team’s matches in the capital.

 

According to Shiretimes.com, the admonition follows substantial monetary penalty meted on the club by FAM for causing damage to facilities at Bingu National Stadium in the aftermath of a contentious refereeing decision during an Airtel Top 8 match against Silver Strikers.

Shiretimes.com quotes Mpinganjira from the sentiments he made in a video clip that was a widely circulated on social media, in which he emphatically asserted that should such unruly behavior persist, he will not hesitate to enlist the Police Mobile Force (PMF) to maintain order during any Mighty Wanderers game in Lilongwe.

Expressing his aspirations, Mpinganjira articulates a desire for his team to clinch the TNM Super League title this season along with at least two other coveted cups. The previous season saw Mighty Wanderers laboring without silverware, despite robust sponsorship and a squad brimming with talent.

Just a week ago, Mpinganjira also spoke out against violence warning that sponsors lose interest to a club whose supporters are hooligans.

“If supporters truly love their football clubs, they should understand that if they misbehave, that club is going to suffer in paying fines and hiring lawyers to defend their cases instead of helping players and other operations of the teams,” he is quoted as saying by Capital Radio Malawi.

“Sponsors do not like too much noise and most of them end up running away if they see acts of misbehavior. Last year I would have given up sponsorship of Wanderers but being a Malawian I knew that that would have affected the club heavily. I had to stay for the love of this country,” Mpinganjira warned.

Concurring with Mpinganjira, SULOM president Gilbert Mittawa called on all relevant stakeholders to avoid acts of hooliganism if the game is to be revived to greater heights.

“Football is business and if you have some negative externalities, people that are doing violence then obviously the sponsors will run away from the game.

“I therefore want to make a special appeal to fans, supporters and other stakeholders to avoid violence if we are to revive, reform and rebrand our league,” he said.