In a public statement released Monday afternoon, Dr. Joram O. Nyirongo has apologized following backlash over a controversial Facebook post that body-shamed a well-known politician. The post, which sparked outrage online, appeared on Dr. Joram’s page Sunday night and was widely condemned for being insensitive and unprofessional.
However, Dr. Joram clarified that the post was not authored by him. According to his explanation, his phone was stolen on Sunday, and the individual who gained access to it allegedly published the offensive message by imitating his tone and writing style.
“This person looked at similar posts that I had written on politics and candidates and then created a foul message,” he wrote. “I sincerely regret that this was published on my page.”
Dr. Joram, who is well-known in the medical community, acknowledged the damage the post caused to his reputation and extended a sincere apology to the public, especially his fellow medical professionals. He emphasized that social media has never been a platform he uses to shame others.
“I understand why people are so frustrated,” he said. “They do not expect a Medical Professional like myself to be involved in body shaming and social media bullying of any form.”
He also addressed a previous comment made on Twitter about Malawian women, which he said was meant to be humorous and not insulting. In response to the ongoing criticism, Dr. Joram promised to exercise more restraint and reconsider his engagement in humorous commentary, especially on platforms like Pemphero Mphande’s posts and Twitter.
“To all those who were offended by what was published, I sincerely apologise,” he stated. “I have learnt a lot from this.”
He concluded the statement by thanking his followers who offered him support and appealed to the public for forgiveness, noting that “to err is human and to forgive is divine.”