Nothing will destruct me from contesting the position of  Media Institute of Southern Africa(MISA) president, says Investigative Journalist Wilson Mpondamali  as he insists that his suspension from the board  was illegal and baseless.

And Mpondamali has warned sacked Radio Phoenix News Editor Haive Hanguta to stop masquerading as a MISA Zambia board member because he was just a co-opted.

Speaking in a telephone conversation with Tumfweko, Mpondamali said the  MISA  board members did not follow the provisions of the constitution when suspending him.

He said the board relied on submissions of a co-opted member, Hanguta, a very serious violation of the MISA Zambia constitution, making his suspension null and void.

Mpondamali said his lawyer, Keeth Mweemba has written to MISA to overturn the suspension because it lacks merit but that the board has not yet deliberated on the  letter.

“My suspension was illegal and the ground given  lacked merit. They(MISA board) overlooked the provisions of the constitution by depending on the submission of the co-opted member, Mr Hanguta. This is what it is when you are motivated with hatred and malice when doing something,” he said.

And Mpondamali said Hanguta will account for the money is drawing as allowances from MISA because he has not yet been confirmed by the general membership of the Annual General Meeting(AGM).

In an event that a board member resigns or dies, the NMC co-opts a member pending  ratification by the MISA AGM.

Mpondamali however, said Hanguta is drawing allowances illegally from the ‘broke’ institution because there has been no AGM that has  ratified his position.

” Let me warn my brother Hanguta that he will one day account for the allowances he is drawing illegally. That man has not yet been ratified because we have not had an AGM to do so,” he said.

The heavily politicized media  institution is facing deep financial challenges because of its funders that have lost confidence in a once vibrant media body.

In addition to that, the institution has lost membership, with many Journalists weighing why they should pay  membership fees when the institution has stopped offering resource center and not seen to  speak  against media violations.

With no proper explanation, but with  a silent hand from somewhere, the AGM has been postponed twice and the date for the next elective meeting has not yet been set.

” I want to contest for the position of president because I want together with my media comrades to make serious media reforms. There is a silent voice on media oppression in the country because of some selfish   individuals who have sold their souls for pieces of silver. If we are not careful, MISA will end up like Press Association of Zambia (PAZA),” Mpondamali said