Parliament of Malawi has urged journalists to uphold responsible, accurate and fact-based reporting, saying the media plays a critical role in promoting democracy, good governance and public participation.
Deputy Clerk of Parliament responsible for Procedural Services, Joseph Manzi, said journalists and parliamentarians must maintain a strong working relationship to ensure that citizens are adequately informed about the work of their elected representatives.
Speaking on Wednesday during a Parliamentary Training Workshop for the Media at Parliament Building in Lilongwe, Manzi said the media was one of Parliament’s most important partners in ensuring that the public enjoys its right to information.
“Your presence at this meeting is not taken for granted. The role that media plays in implementing parliamentary work is vital for a functioning democracy and the quest for good governance,” he said.
He said Parliament had facilitated media access to the building and introduced a transparent accreditation system to support professional and fact-based reporting.
Manzi, however, cautioned journalists against abusing their freedom, saying responsible reporting was essential in building public confidence in democratic institutions.
He said the media had evolved beyond simply reporting events to playing a significant role in shaping public opinion.
“The media has evolved in its function from simply being the reporter of events and news, to one which articulates and shapes public opinion,” he said.
Manzi observed that limited interaction between Members of Parliament and their constituents remained a concern, citing findings from several surveys.
The Open Government Partnership Action Plan Analysis of 2024 found that many citizens had never interacted with their MPs, while an Institute of Public Opinion and Research survey conducted in the same year established low engagement between legislators and citizens.
He also cited a 2022 Afrobarometer survey which found that only 17 percent of citizens had contacted their MPs.
Manzi said the media had an important responsibility to bridge this gap by communicating parliamentary activities and highlighting issues affecting citizens.
“Parliament of Malawi will always strive to enhance the facilitation of the media’s operation by protecting the freedom of expression, the right to information and press freedom, in order to fill the gap between the Members and their constituents. But the media has to be responsible in exercising their rights,” he said.
He said the workshop was organised to strengthen journalists’ understanding of parliamentary practices and procedures, enabling them to report more effectively on the institution’s legislative, representative and oversight functions.
According to Manzi, press freedom should not only be understood as the freedom of journalists, editors and media owners to report and comment, but also as the public’s right to access truthful information.
“Freedom of the press should not be regarded simply as the freedom of journalists, editors or proprietors alone to report and comment. Rather, it should be regarded, also, as the embodiment of the public’s right to know, to be told the truth and to participate in the free flow of information,” he said.
He added that building the capacity of journalists was equally important in ensuring effective reporting and an informed citizenry.
“A well knowledgeable media will result to a well-informed nation,” Manzi said.
He commended media houses for increasing their coverage of National Assembly proceedings and parliamentary committee meetings, saying the growing number of parliamentary stories demonstrated improved attention to the deliberative functions of the House.
“Our media fraternity deserves our deep appreciation for this,” he said.
Manzi reaffirmed Parliament’s commitment to working with the media to ensure that Malawians understand and participate in parliamentary activities.
The half-day workshop brings together journalists from various media houses and facilitators to enhance their knowledge of parliamentary operations and reporting.
