By Jimmy Chazama
Maso Awards has decided not to revoke the award of Best Content Creator from youthful artist Mahempe following his “unsuitable” comments about President Peter Mutharika.
Mahempe made the comments during a red-carpet interview during the Maso Awards grand finale held on Saturday in Lilongwe.
Following the remarks, Mahempe received a backlash from some people while others said he was just being the child he is.
In a statement released on Monday, Maso Awards called Mahempe’s remarks “disrespectful” and “inappropriate”, saying they [remarks] did not align with its values.
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The statement further says following its emergency meeting, it had decided not to revoke Mahempe’s award.
It further says it plans to offer psycho-social support, mentorship and talent development services to help the youthful artist take responsibility and grow his talent.
Maso Awards also notes that Mahempe later apologised for the comments.
Maso Awards has since said it would work with the Ministry of Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare through the Department of Child Affairs and his management team.
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“We are working on strengthening our policies and guidelines to ensure that future nominees and winners receive training on public conduct and professionalism, especially during red-carpet events,” the statement reads.
Child Advocacy Centre Executive Director Memory Chisenga said the decision would help Mahempe create content that fits his age.
“Young creatives, especially content creators, need to learn how to do their work responsibly to avoid causing problems in society,” Chisenga said.
She also said they were open to giving advice to young creatives.
Maso Awards, now in its fifth edition, recognised achievements in over 40 categories.
Those recognised included musicians, filmmakers and content creators.
