By Sarah Munthali

Lilongwe, April 4, MANA: The Commander of the Malawi Defence Force (MDF), General Dr. Paul Valentino Phiri, has stressed the importance of media practitioners understanding electoral laws and processes in order to report responsibly and promote peace in the country.

General Phiri made the remarks in Lilongwe on Wednesday, when he officially opened a two-day workshop on media, electoral laws, and processes.

The event was organised by the National Defence College-Malawi (NDC-MW) in collaboration with the Malawi Peace and Unity Commission (MPUC) and the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Malawi.

“The media holds a unique and indispensable role in every electoral cycle. You are not just conveyors of information, but architects of public perception, and, therefore, influencers of peace or unrest,” he added.

The MDF commander stated that the media must help the public understand the electoral process, noting that inaccurate reporting during and after elections, can either calm tensions or exacerbate them.

He explained that the purpose of the workshop for media practitioners was to enhance the partnership between the media and the MDF, emphasizing that security services and the media should not view each other as adversaries, but as partners in the pursuit of a peaceful, democratic, and stable Malawi.

Vice Chairperson of the Malawi Peace and Unity Commission, Reverend Dr. Zacc Kawalala, stressed that adhering to ethical standards is not just a professional requirement for journalists, but also a civic duty.

“The Commission will explore best practices that will enable media practitioners to balance the need for a comprehensive, timely reporting with the imperative of maintaining public trust and upholding the integrity of the democratic process,” he noted.

UNDP Digital Advisor for Inclusive Digital Transformation in Malawi, Azhar Malik, said the organisation is supporting MISA Malawi’s iVerify, a Fact-Checking initiative aimed at combating misinformation and strengthening information integrity.

He urged journalists to ensure that marginalized and underrepresented groups have a platform to express their views.