0DODZL ment in March 2012 warning journalists and human rights defenders against discrediting or insulting the president. Part of the Statement read: “The laws of Malawi provide for the total respect and protection of the Head of State. Section 3 (2) of the Protected Flag, Emblems and Names clearly states that; Any person who does any act or utters any words or publishes any writing calculated to or liable to insult or to show disrespect to or with respect to or with reference to the President…shall be liable to a fine of 1000 Pounds and to imprisonment for two (2) years. His Excellency Ngwazi Professor Bingu wa Mutharika is therefore protected by that law…Some social networks carry articles and comments that openly insult and ridicule His Excellency the State President. The State House monitors carefully such networks that are hostile and probably careless in demeaning the State President…The State House wishes therefore to make it blatantly clear that it will not standby and condone this impudence.” Obviously, anything against the DPP and the president qualified as material that could ‘discredit’ the President. Such statements spread fear, intimidate critics of government, and clearly aim at suppressing dissent. Although a few val- 6R7KLVLV'HPRFUDF\" iant citizens continued to speak out, the majority, including some sections of the media, preferred to censor themselves and suffer in silence. The rise to power by Joyce Banda was received with excitement and hope that Malawi would once again respect human rights and the rule of law. But whilst Mutharika openly threatened and castigated those who criticized him, President Banda employed a different tactic to silence critical voices. She opted to recruit several prominent and outspoken civil society activists including media practitioners who, to a large extent, had kept the Mutharika administration under check. Some commentators believe that Mutharika’s behaviour and autocratic leadership style helped create a ‘strong civil society’, while President Banda has weakened this fundamental section of every vibrant democracy by co-opting strong civil society leaders into senior government positions. Although the appointment of veteran media personalities into senior government positions was received with optimism within the media fraternity, certain actions have turned that sanguinity into cynicism. In September 2012, State House Press Secretary, Steven Nhlane, warned newspaper column-