Fear and uncertainty has gripped the corridors of public broadcaster MBC following Director General’s George Kasakula style of leadership that is characterized with heavy handedness, favoritism and dictatorship.
Kasakula keeps firing people, subjecting some to unexplained disciplinary hearings, demotions and transfers.
He is also well known for shouting at his staff, calling them cadets and has formed his own circle of Blessings Kanache, Chawezi Banda, Peter Makawa and the Director of News and Programs Zilani Khonje that is being used as the center of terror on fellow staff members.
Just recently Kasakula has laid hands on veteran Journalists Ayam Maeresa and Doreen Sonani transferring them from the news department to the programs department at the Lilongwe office along with Charles Wahara, accusing them of being “DPP cadets”.
He is not yet done with the Lilongwe office as he has called all the 5 members in the Marketing Department at area 4 for disciplinary hearing starting from today, Tuesday. He is accusing them of being cadets that are frustrating sales in the Capitol.
Kasakula recently issued warning letters to all members of the business department in all the regions accusing them of under collecting. The staff members refused to sign them.
Since the coming of Kasakula MBC has failed to collect enough revenue because he has turned it into an MCP mouthpiece that is failing to attract business deals.
NEPOTISM
Kasakula has also turned MBC into a Kasungu club. He fired Controller of Business Affairs Ralph Chienda for being a “cadet” and promoted Principal Sales Executive Theresa Sungani as the Acting Controller. Sungani comes from Kasakula’s home district of Kasungu.
If that is not enough, Kasakula demoted Wilson Kumtambila as Controller of Engineering to Chief Engineer and promoted his homeboy Raphael Kasawala to the position of Acting Controller.
Kasakula is also recruiting his Kasungu clan as on “temporary” employment Without following proper procedures.
FEAR AND UNCERTAINTY
The leadership of Kasakula has crippled most services at MBC, morale gone and staff members are working with fear.
“You need faith and trust in God for you to survive the hand of Kasakula at MBC”, lamented one member of staff from the programs department.
He added; “Kasakula accuses everyone of being a cadet, including drivers. He shouts at you like a child and you even wonder that such a big man would be exchanging words with his juniors, and you call that management?”.
Kasakula is also reported to have scrapped off some allowances and apart from Kanache, Makawa and Chawezi, the rest are not given opportunities to travel internally or even external travel.
Kasakula has turned MBC into hell.