BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-The Office of the Ombudsman says it has started investigating the recruitment of Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) Director General (DG), Brian Banda, following a formal complaint alleging serious irregularities in his appointment process.

In a letter seen by Maravi Post, the Ombudsman’s office confirms that investigators have opened a file and have already issued the statement broadcaster with a Notice of Investigation, requesting the corporation’s official response to the claims.

The investigations follow a complaint by journalist Davie Danford Mchinga who argues that Banda does not possess the requisite qualifications for the DG post.

Mchinga, currently based in Fayetteville, North Carolina, USA, further argues that Banda’s appointment was a direct violation of MBC’s own recruitment procedures, noting that the position was never advertised and that Banda was not subjected to any competitive interviews before his appointment.

Director of Investigations and Research at the Ombudsman’s office,Martha Ndeyana Kwengwere, is leading the inquiry.

In a letter to the complainant, she states that once MBC provides its side of the story, her office will inform all parties of the next steps.

Kwengwere has since urged the public to allow the investigative process to conclude before drawing conclusions.

So far,Neither MBC nor Banda has officially commented on the matter.

This marks the first formal probe into Banda’s leadership at the state broadcaster since he assumed the role last month.

Currently,there are no official records of Banda’s qualifications.

Banda once worked for Capital Radio before becoming a press officer for former President Joyce Banda.

He later joined Times Media Group.

Former President Lazarus Chakwera appointed him as press officer.

He was later dismissed and returned to Times Media Group where he remained until his current appointment as MBC DG.