Raphael Tenthani

Raphael (Ralph) Tenthani (1 October 1971 – 16 May 2015) [1] was a freelance journalist from Malawi. Tenthani was a BBC correspondent and a columnist for The Sunday Times.[2][3] He was a respected journalist in Malawi well known for his popular column, "The Muckraking".[3][4] He was well known for providing political analysis on topical issues.[5] He had been the subject of controversy for his candid reporting on political issues.[6] He was very critical of the crackdown on journalism during the Bingu wa Mutharika administration.[6] He was also a columnist for Associated Press, Pan African News Agency, and the Maravi Post.[3][7]

Raphael Tenthani
Born1 October 1971
Malawi
DiedSaturday 16 May 2015
Kammwamba, Zalewa Road, Neno Malawi
Occupationjournalist
Notable credit(s)
BBC, The Sunday Times
TitleCorrespondent, columnist

"Muckraking on Sunday"Column

Tenthani was a columnist for the nationally circulated newspaper, Sunday Times. He wrote a popular regular column called "Muckrakings" that was, at times, controversial.[8] In 2010, he was attacked by the ruling DPP party spokesperson for writing a 'Muckracking column that was sympathetic to ostracized vice-president Joyce Banda, who was facing political isolation from President Bingu wa Mutharika.[6] When Tenthani was in the hospital after a car accident in 2011, he received a visit from then vice-president Joyce Banda at the hospital.[8] He has again been by Malawi's flagship online news Nyasa Times as its 'person of the year' for 2014 (http://www.nyasatimes.com/2014/12/31/nyasa-times-person-of-the-year-goes-to-malawi-media-and-tenthani)

Mutharika Administration Attacks

Haunted House Arrest

In 2005, he reported in a news article that the President had moved out of the presidential palace due to a fear of ghosts. In his article, he sourced the president's religious affairs adviser, the Rev. Malani Mtonga,who had reported that President Bingu wa Mutharika had left the presidential palace because he was hearing "strange noises" and "felt a strange presence hanging around him" at night. Rev. Mtonga denied making that statement to the press but another independent journalist, Mabvuto Banda reported the same story in The Nation.[2][9] Mr. Tenthani and Mabvuto Banda were both arrested.[2] Both were arrested at their homes in Blantyre and detained at police headquarters in Lilongwe. He was going to be charged with "publishing false information that is likely to cause [a] breach of peace".[10][2][9] He was released on bail shortly after.[11]

Criticism of Press freedom Crackdown

During the Bingu wa Mutharika administration, he became to target of attacks from the government due to his criticism of Mutharika and freedom of the press. Tenthani's house was ransacked by an unknown assailant in 2011, following the Malawi protests against the Mutharika administration.[12]

At the height of Mutharika's crackdown on the press, he was indirectly named in a press release to the nation for being critical dated March 9, 2012, that aimed at suppressing the press. The press release referred to journalists in the country that referred to Mutharika as "Big Kahuna", a pejorative nickname that made reference to the President's increasingly dictatorial turn.[13] Tenthani denied that this was being used to refer to Mutharika pejoratively.[14]

Awards
  • Best Columnist, MISA Malawi Awards - 2012, for Daily Times [15]
  • UN Media Award 2010, for Associated Press Millennium Development Goals (MDG) correspondence[16]
  • Nyasatimes human Rights and Democracy Award, 2010[17]
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References
  1. http://www.times.mw/raphael-tenthani/
  2. Claire Cozens. "Reporters held over 'haunted house' story released". the Guardian.
  3. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-12-04. Retrieved 2012-12-04.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  4. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-01-25. Retrieved 2012-12-05.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  5. "Seasoned Journalists offer Advice on Common Mistakes by Cabinet Ministers-Don't Over Praise". Malawi Voice. Archived from the original on 2013-12-31. Retrieved 2012-12-04.
  6. Fesmedia Africa: Malawi: DPP publicity secretary attacks journalist over column Archived 2013-04-14 at Archive.today
  7. Maravi Post's Raphael Tenthani survives 70 meters into the womb of earth | Malawi News Archived 2013-01-28 at Archive.today
  8. "Joyce Banda visits bed-ridden Tenthani". Malawi Nyasa Times - Malawi breaking news in Malawi.
  9. "World Association of Newspapers". wan-press.org.
  10. "Journalists ordered to report to police in 14 days, presidential aide released unconditionally". IFEX.
  11. "Malawi: 2005". Committee to Protect Journalists.
  12. "Spotlight on Malawi – Death threats issued for civil rights leaders as thugs attack BBC correspondent". Newstime Africa.
  13. Malawi: State House Warns Journalists Against Discrediting President Mutharika | FAIR Archived 2013-02-21 at Archive.today
  14. The censor cometh but Tenthani says ‘Big Kahuna’ doesn’t belittle Mutharika | Malawi News
  15. http://www.misa.org/index.php/2012-04-30-09-04-14/2006/item/351-bnl-times-sweeps-misa-awards/351-bnl-times-sweeps-misa-awards?start=480%5B%5D
  16. "Malawian journalist helps AP win award". bizcommunity.com.
  17. Decision Makers - Media house awards Malawi Veep Joyce Banda 'Person of the Year 2010' accolade
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