Karonga diocese has radio station
By Deogratias Mmana, ACJ Reporter
Preparations to roll out Tuntufye FM Radio for the newly Karonga Diocese of the Roman Catholic are at an advanced stage, the Research and Communications Department at the Episcopal Conference of Malawi has announced.
ECM’s Research and Communications officer Prince Henderson said this after visiting the diocese to appreciate efforts made to enhance communication in the church.
Karonga diocese successfully negotiated for a radio licence with the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) and this was gazetted on July 26 2013.
The new radio is expected to hit the airwaves by January next year.
“There is quite a lot that Karonga diocese has done to have this radio station in place. The diocese is trying to put things in place as regards opening a radio station and one of the achievements has been the negotiations with MACRA for a radio license which is finally in possession of the diocese” ,Henderson said
The diocese is currently holding sensitisation sessions with Catholic Christians at different levels and various forums as a way of initiating and engaging them in the radio project so that they can own and support it.
“Bishop Martin Mtumbuka of Karonga diocese is also working hard to have this radio station as evidenced from a number of written proposals that have been submitted to potential donors where the feedback has been positive and many have pledged funding.
“So far the diocese has received the first consignment of radio equipment from SIGNIS which is the World Catholic Association for Communication that brings together Catholic communications and media professionals from across the globe. Plans to renovate a building that will house radio studios are also there,” said Henderson.
Karonga diocese is new and has only 12 priests against over 65,000 Catholic Christians.
The Western part of the Diocese is hilly and mountainous making it very difficult for the already few priests to reach.
A South African Company “Buck Broadcast” is set to install the equipment in the studios.
Tuntufye FM Radio will add up to the already existing Catholic radio stations like Radio Maria in Mangochi,Radio Alinafe in Lilongwe and Radio Tigabane in Mzuzu.