MISA MALAWI CONDOLENCE MESSAGE ON THE UNTIMELY DEATH OF MR. HASTINGS MALOYA

The Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Malawi Chapter, is deeply saddened with the untimely death of Mr. Hastings Maloya, who passed away on Friday evening, September 14 at Adventist Hospital in the City of Blantyre.

Mr. Maloya, who until his death was Programme Officer responsible for communications at Mulanje Mountain Conservation Trust, has been an ardent advocate of media freedom and freedom of expression as well as a campaigner for sustainable use of the environment. His death therefore, has robbed the nation of a great son and has come as a great shock to the nation in general and the media fraternity in particular.

Mr. Maloya will be remembered for his open mindedness, his love and passion for environmental issues and his commitment to bringing journalists together as one family.

MISA Malawi Chapter and its entire membership will fondly remember Hastings for his contribution towards harnessing a cordial relationship among journalists while serving as an executive member in the Chapter’s National Governing Council (NGC) from 2002 – 2004. It was during this period when he introduced the idea of setting up an internet chat group where journalists could be sharing ideas as a fraternity.   The chat group came to be known as the NAMISA googlegroup.

Today, the NAMISA chat group has become a source of knowledge and information for MISA Malawi members, as well as a source of pride for the Chapter. Hastings will also be remembered for numerous other contributions in the media industry, which are just too many to mention.

Among other workplaces where Hastings has rendered his valuable services include the Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC), Blantyre Synod where he worked as Communications Officer and Mulanje Mountain Conservation Trust.

As his remains will be taken to Mulanje today (Saturday) for burial tomorrow, September 16, Hastings will be sadly missed by the media fraternity in Malawi, especially the young and upcoming journalists, who considered him a fountain of wisdom.

MISA Malawi and the entire fraternity send their condolences to the deceased family, colleagues and relatives who knew and loved him. We all loved him but God loved him the most.

May his soul rest in eternal peace.

 

Anthony Kasunda

MISA MALAWI CHAIRPERSON