By Rose Cross Mahorya

Mzuzu, March 20, Mana: As September elections draw near, journalists in the country have been asked to put their safety first.

Speaking in Mzuzu on Wednesday during a one-day training on safety of journalists during elections, Media Council of Malawi (MCM) Executive Director, Moses Kaufa, emphasized the need for journalists to think security saying no story is worth their lives.

“As a Council, we believe that if journalists can think of their safety first before any reporting, it will help them avoid dangerous situations and even seek help or protection on time.

“We have noted that most times journalists, in a bid to get a good report, break news first or get a good story, find themselves in risky and dangerous environments. We are saying it is time they learnt to put their safety first and flee when their lives are believed to be at risk,” said Kaufa.

He said the Council has established agreements with concerned stakeholders to ensure journalists are safe before, during and after the elections.

Northern Region Police Public Relations Officer, Maurice Chapola, said they are already working hand in hand with MCM and Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Malawi Chapter by developing proper guidelines on how the security agency can ably protect journalists from life threatening incidences.

“As a service, we are available anytime the media requires our service; we are also sharing safety guidelines with officers in our respective districts so that they can respond positively once approached by journalists.

“At the same time we are also sharing with them procedures they should and can take once they are in a situation that requires help,” said Chapola adding the guidelines are already being put into use as election processes are underway.

One of the journalists present for the training, Tiwonge Hara, said development of guidelines on how security agencies can work with the media to ensure their safety during elections is a welcome development because journalists are human first.

“No matter how hardworking you may be, life is something you cannot gamble with; therefore, journalists should think of their safety above everything else,” she said.

The training, which was conducted with support from United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), had representatives from all media institutions in the northern region.