By George Bulombola

Mana, Mzuzu, May 31: Chairperson for Nyika Media Club, Feston Malekezo, has urged members of the club to be disseminating information that is true and factual and to not propagate malice amongst electoral players ahead of the September 16 General Elections.

Malekezo was speaking on Friday in Mzuzu during the Club`s Annual General meeting at which media practitioners under the club voted for an officer to fill a vacant post of the grouping’s vice chairperson.

The meeting   also reviewed the club’s performance during the previous year, besides making some amendments to some clauses of the club’s constitution, among others.

He said people’s trust will be on the mainstream media for credible and factual information as the nation prepares for the General Elections.

“There are rumours and fake news peddlers who utilize various social media platforms, so as journalists, we should prove to be professional so that the society distinguishes between a real journalist and social media fanatics.

If we spread information that will promotes malice, our work would comprise efforts by electoral stakeholders to have credible, free and fair elections, as such, lets write our stories as they are,” said Malekezo.

NICE Trust Programmes officer for Mzuzu City and Mzimba North, Freency Mapanga advised the journalists to refrain from spreading news before fact checking and analyzing.

“Journalists are conspicuous people in the society therefore, you should make sure that you do away with fake news when disseminating information especially this time when the nation is heading towards general elections,” said Mapanga.

On elections for the post of vice chairperson of the club, Towera Katswiri scooped 87 votes against her contender, Isaac Chawinga who secured 16 votes, hence emerging the holder of the mantle.

The meeting was spiced up by presentations by University of Livingstonia (Kaning’ina Campus) and Mzuzu University.