State Media

Media and gender equality champion Dr Tikhala Chibwana has died.

Dr Chibwana, who was the director of the Women in News (WIN) died in Malawi yesterday after a short illness.

Described by colleagues as great leader, mentor, and champion of gender equality, Dr Chibwana mentored female journalists in Africa’s newsrooms through the Women In News programme.

Writing on her Twitter blog, WIN’s local programme manager Ms Molly Chimhanda said:

“Dr T, words cannot express the shock I felt when I was told. I’m still in shock… You will be missed @tkchibwana2. Irreplaceable soul. Such a great loss for our work. I learnt so much from you as my colleague, boss, father figure… I’m gutted.”

Veteran journalist Vincent Kahiya also mourned Dr Chibwana and said: ” Dr T @tkchibwana2  my dear friend, we had lots of unfinished business and conversations. Achimwene, I am gutted.”

WAN-IFRA executive director Ms Melanie Walker said,

” Dr Tikhala Chibwana was a champion of gender equality in the media industry. During his five-year tenure as head of WAN-IFRA Women in News Africa, ‘Dr. T’, as he was fondly referred to, inspired and motivated hundreds of journalists to take on greater leadership roles in the industry, and brought together dozens of media companies throughout Southern and East Central Africa in the collective pursuit of achieving greater diversity and operational excellence within their organisations. While we mourn this great loss, Dr Chibwana’s legacy will live on in the WIN community and in the future generations of journalists who will carry forward his teachings and influence in the work they do.”

Dr Chibwana also served in the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) regional board of trustees in 2011 and chaired its Audit & Finance Committee.

In Nov 2014, he was further appointed to become the Southern African Media Development Fund chairperson, which positions he was serving diligently until untimely death.