Malawi Electoral Chair Urges Media Transparency Ahead of 2025 Vote
"By working together, we can create an electoral environment that is characterized by trust, integrity, and inclusivity," Mtalimanja said.
LILONGWE, Malawi — With 355 days until Malawi's 2025 general election, the head of the country's electoral commission on Thursday stressed the critical role of media and information access in ensuring a free and fair vote, writes Winston Mwale.
Justice Annabel Mtalimanja, chairperson of the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC), addressed a national conference on media and access to information, emphasizing the need for accurate and unbiased reporting.
"For elections to be free, fair and credible, the electorate must have access to information at all stages of the electoral process," Mtalimanja said, highlighting the media's responsibility in disseminating reliable information.
The conference, themed "Promoting Free Flow of Information Towards the 2025 General Elections," brought together media practitioners, civil society organizations, and government officials.
Mtalimanja warned of the dangers of misinformation, citing a recent incident where false information led to low turnout during a pilot voter registration exercise.
"We experienced this in the recently concluded pilot voter registration, where some Wards were falsely informed that the pilot voter registration was a rigging exercise by the Commission," she said.
To combat these challenges, Mtalimanja announced plans to intensify media training efforts.
"So far, we have trained over 300 journalists," she said, adding that the MEC aims to equip reporters with the skills to cover elections professionally and ethically.
The electoral body also pledged to improve transparency, with Mtalimanja stating, "We will continue to provide regular updates and briefings to ensure that the public is fully informed."
She called for collaboration among stakeholders to create an environment conducive to the free flow of accurate information, emphasizing the importance of voter education initiatives.
"By working together, we can create an electoral environment that is characterized by trust, integrity, and inclusivity," Mtalimanja said.
The conference was organized by the Media Council of Malawi and the Malawi Human Rights Commission, with support from various partners, including the U.S. Embassy and several Malawian government agencies.