Meic urges media not to fuel violence

Malawi Election Information Centre (Meic) task force has asked the media to support its reporting of events during the election period with facts and figures to avoid fuelling violence.

Briefing journalists on the pre-election situation at Protea Ryalls Hotel in Blantyre yesterday, Malawi Electoral Support Network (Mesn) vice-chairperson Emma Kaliya said in most countries where violence erupted after elections, it was the media through its reporting that fuelled chaos.

Said Kaliya: “The media is the source of information and when people hear anything from the radio stations, they trust it and it would be more dangerous for the country if the media go about airing information that is incorrect as it will impact behaviour and what people think about these elections.”

Kaliya hailed the inclusion of younger and new candidates in the presidential and parliamentary race, saying it assures the country of leadership renewal.

Speaking at the briefing, Ollen Mwalubunju, National Initiative for Civic Education (Nice) Trust executive director, said at local level, it is only the presidential and parliamentary elections that have been high-profiled at the expense of the Local Government Elections.

He said attempts were made to civic educate the electorate that councillors would be more ideal to address local needs.

On another note, the task force dismissed allegations in the social media that an angry mob in Lilongwe deflated tyres of a vehicle on suspicion that it carried already cast ballot papers.

Mwalubunju said the vehicle belongs to the Malawi Prison Service and was carrying non-sensitive election materials.

Kaliya said Mesn would not want to dwell on rumour mongers and speculations as it is a body that has a reputation to protect and if they take the allegation and put it on the media when they don’t have proper information it would not be dangerous for it as an institution.