The President and First Lady arriving for the Presidential Breakfast with media practitioners at Kamuzu Palace
* I can assure you that I have never once issued orders to the Police to arrest anyone, much less a journalist
* Because such an order would be a violation of the very Constitution I swore an oath to protect
By Duncan Mlanjira
Ahead of the World Press Freedom Day 2024 to be globally commemorated tomorrow, May 3, President Lazarus Chakwera hosted a Presidential Breakfast with Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Malawi Chapter at Kamuzu Palace this morning — where he said he was aware of state and political harassment perpetuated on media practitioners in the country using the police machinery.
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He distanced himself from this, taking cognizance that “in the past year some misguided law enforcement agents have tried to damage Malawi’s international reputation as a place where the press is free to publish what it likes, and some of you have fallen for the lie that such misguided police abuses are meted out with orders from here”.
Just recently, Malawi’s celebrated investigative journalist, Gregory Vitus Gondwe had been under pressure for uncovering corruption through his the Platform for Investigative Journalism (PIJ).
Earlier this year, Gregory went into hiding temporarily after receiving a tip that authorities planned to arrest him over his reporting alleging financial improprieties by the military.
In 2022, police detained him for several hours and confiscated his electronic devices after PIJ published an investigation of the Attorney General.
Gregory Vitus Gondwe
But President Chakwera made an assurance that he has “never once issued orders to the Police to arrest anyone, much less a journalist, because such an order would be a violation of the very Constitution I swore an oath to protect”.
“In fact, the reason you can confidently present me with recommended areas of improvement in our press freedoms as the leadership of MISA Malawi Chapter has done this morning is because you know of my commitment to the ideals of press freedom — not only expressed in words — but with actions.
“Such as the operationalization of the Access to Information Act; the removal of primitive laws that criminalized insults against the President; an open door policy that brings the press into the inner sanctums of Government; and a posture of great displeasure against any public servant who presumes to abuse his office or misuse my name to induce police officers to act on their behalf instead of acting in accordance with the law.
“So I want to say it again today, Malawi is a free country and its freedom includes that of the press, which is enshrined in the highest laws of our land.
“So mine is merely an appeal for you to use this freedom to tell better stories — stories that advance our national interests; stories that add value to our pursuit of prosperity; stories that preserve our national pride; stories that inspire the world to support our gallant fight against the monster of climate change.
“I believe that the reason you have chosen the theme of ‘A Press for the Planet’ is because you as journalists all over the world have come to realize that climate change is the biggest story to tell, and in that quest, you have my full support.”
He emphasised that year’s theme “could not be more fitting for us as a nation on the frontlines of the war against climate change disasters”, adding that some two days ago, he hosted other nations’ Ambassadors of to Malawi to present our El Niño Response Plan and to appeal to them to send to their capitals worldwide news of the humanitarian crisis the country is facing because of it.
“But today, it is you as members of the press who have rightly chosen a theme by which you are challenging yourself to play an active role in environmental matters of this kind.
“In telling the world Malawi’s story of affliction, it is important to do so by emphasizing our agency as a nation,” he said, while emphasising that “it is important to avoid portraying Malawi as a nation without means”.
“We must not imagine that giving the world the impression that we have no capacity to do anything for ourselves in this crisis will be in our nation’s best interest, for after four years of being President, I can assure you that the world is not governed on sympathy.
“Sympathy is a currency whose value has long been lost due to too much circulation — after all, there is no nation on earth that is not facing climate change impacts of some kind and we would be naïve to think that we are the only ones the rest of the world should feel sorry for.
“The story we must tell, the story our nation’s press must help to tell the world, is the inspiring story of how Malawi has stood up to this giant monster of climate change.
“It is the inspiring story of how we continue to defend ourselves bravely against this monster that is bigger and more ferocious than any other challenge we face right now, because whether we speak in terms of the destruction of lives and livelihoods or the devastation inflicted on our development or the amount of money needed to fix it, climate change is doing more damage than every other problem that we find more tempting to obsess over, including political scandals, corruption, and election mongering.
“The story we must tell the world is how even though I am the first President in the history of Malawi to be forced to declare a state of disaster every single year I have been in office thus far, the Malawian people have been resilient, our collective response has been remarkable, and our economy is back on the recovery path.
“Of course, in the context of Press Freedom, you are under no obligation to tell Malawi’s story in this manner. If you choose to tell a different story in pursuit of money or populism or passion, you are free to do so without fear of reprisal.”
On her part — as reported on Malawi Government Facebook page — MISA Malawi Chapter vice-president, Chisomo Ngulube commended President Chakwera for extending the invitation for the third consecutive time, describing it as remarkable.
Chisomo Ngulube
She said through these engagements, President Chakwera has transformed the culture of how Press Freedom Day celebrated among the media fraternity in the country.
Ngulube also appealed to the President Chakwera to ensure journalists’ protection during the upcoming general elections to safeguard their freedom.
Minister of Information & Digitalisation, Moses Kunkuyu is quoted as applauding journalists for their active role in ensuring good governance.
He emphasised that the government will continue fostering access to information and ensure no journalist is unjustly detained and he also encouraged journalists to report on government initiatives, activities, and projects such as the agriculture, tourism, mining (ATM) strategy, increased allocation of Constituency Development Fund (CDF), and infrastructure development.
Kunkuyu (right)
On its part, UNESCO has launches the ‘This story must be told’ campaign, which spotlights the contributions of journalists and photojournalists in unveiling stories that deserve to be told.
“All stories deserve to be told, but some tales demand our attention,” said UNESCO on its website. “The climate and biodiversity crisis are not only affecting the environment and ecosystems but also impacting the lives of countless individuals worldwide.
“Their stories of turmoil and grief deserve to be known and shared. While not always picturesque, these narratives can even stir discomfort, yet it is through awareness that change becomes possible. Illuminating the crisis is the first step towards solution.
“That’s why the role of journalists is crucial. It is through their work, their courage and their perseverance that we can know what is happening across the planet.
“They work on the frontlines of our collective struggle for our planet’s well-being and livable conditions. On this World Press Freedom Day, let’s celebrate their tireless efforts in shaping a better tomorrow.”—Pictures of Presidential Breakfast courtesy of Malawi Government
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