Malawi’s leading mobile phone company, Airtel says free media is catalyst for development in any country. This was said by the company’s Marketing Director Enwell Kadango at a gala dinner to commemorate the World Press Freedom Day activities.

Speaking at the function held in Lilongwe, Kadango recalled a three year agreement his company signed with Namisa 4 years ago which ended last year yet the company has continued to support the media.

“The agreement we signed was for three years between 2009 t0 2011. But that has not detached us from the media . Airtel believes, the media plays a pivotal role in development by empowering citizens of the country through civic edcution and information sharing. It is for this reason that we came in again this year to support media freedom celebrations through the sponsorship of the gala dinner.

He hailed the agreement which culminated into the formation of the then Zain Media Club. According to Kadango, the company Media club has helped promote discourse in matters of national interest, especially those pertaining to the role that private sector companies like his play in the country’s economy.

In addition, he said, the media club has helped his country learn problems that affect media houses in particular and the media fraternity as a whole in the country.

“I therefore pledge on behalf of Airtel to reaffirm our commitment to the media since the partnership has been beneficial to us all. As a company, we have come to know the media in Malawi better. Above everything else, we have come to appreciate each others roles and needs,” he said.

Apart from funding general activities at the WPFD celebrations, Airtel was also a category sponsor for the Business & Economic Journalist of the Year for a fourth year running.