Media Council of Malawi and Malawi National Commission for UNESCO have called on collaboration among stakeholders to foster an environment that supports freedom of speech and ensures the safety of journalists.
MCM Vice Board Chairperson Patricia Kamnkhwani, says through open communication, exchanging expertise, and forming collaborative action plans, they will uphold free expression and protect journalists’ safety, thereby ensuring a credible election.
She made the remarks at Multi-Stakeholder Consultation on promoting free expression and ensuring safety of journalists during elections which brought together key stakeholders, including the Malawi Police Service, Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC), media representatives, political party representatives and civil society organizations, to discuss challenges and best practices in safeguarding press freedom during the election period.
The Vice Board Chairperson also outlined several strategies the council has implemented to ensure journalists’ safety, including the accreditation process for both local and foreign journalists, which will also serve as a pass for accreditation with the Malawi Electoral Commission.
“This process will not only help identify legitimate journalists but also facilitate their movement and activities during the elections. It ensures that law enforcement agencies can easily recognize media personnel, thereby safeguarding them against potential threats,” she said.
Executive Secretary for Malawi National Commission for UNESCO David Mulera shared sentiments with Kamnkhwani. Mulera stated that if journalists are unable to report freely, there can be no informed electorate, and true democracy cannot exist. He added that UNESCO will keep supporting journalists through training workshops, which will also play a role in combating misinformation.
“We do appreciate that it is not an easy task because social media is available mostly to everyone, but they should be credible sources of information so that when somebody reads some information, they should verify with credible media sources whether that information is correct and whether it is reflective of the truth on the ground so that people can start trusting more the mainstream social media outlets,” he said.
In her remarks, Commissioner for Malawi Electoral Commission Dr Limbikani Kamlongera who was the guest of owner at the event, urged media professionals to fulfil their duties with responsibility and integrity in their reporting. She stressed the importance of journalists maintaining ethical standards, presenting factual information and avoiding bias.
“Misinformation, disinformation, sensationalism, and inflammatory reporting can escalate political tensions and create unnecessary conflict during elections,’ she said.
She also reiterated MEC’s commitment to ensuring that the upcoming elections are conducted in a free, fair, and credible manner.
EU Ambassador to Malawi Rune Skinnebach highlighted harassment, intimidation, online threats, and physical violence as some of the major challenges journalists in Malawi are facing. He emphasized that key stakeholders must collaborate to ensure journalists have access to information and can effectively report on election-related events organized by election management bodies, political parties, and candidates.
The Media Council of Malawi has committed to ongoing training for journalists to close the existing gaps and address challenges encountered during elections. The council has also called for support from stakeholders to help achieve this goal.
