Ntelela (centre), MRA Commissioner General Tambulasi and PRSM president, Rachel Kalera-Mhango
* During PRSM’s high-level public and private sector interface also supported by MRA Commissioner General and MERA Director of Liquid Fuel & Gas
* Hosted under the theme; ‘The Return on Investment (ROI) of Reputation and Trust: The CEO’s Agenda for Strategic Communication in a Volatile Economy’
* For a timely and thought-provoking conversation on the strategic role of communication in leadership, governance, institutional resilience, and national development
By Duncan Mlanjira
Principal Secretary-Administration in the Office of the President & Cabinet (OPC), Rashid Ntelela, who was the guest of honour at the high-level public and private sector interface that the Public Relations Society of Malawi (PRSM) hosted on Thursday in Blantyre, reinforced the importance of communication as a strategic national development asset.
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The gathering — that was also attended in solidarity by Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) Commissioner General, Felix Tambulasi, Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (MERA) Director of Liquid Fuel & Gas, Tikhala Kathewera, among other high profile delegates — was held under the theme; ‘The Return on Investment (ROI) of Reputation and Trust: The CEO’s Agenda for Strategic Communication in a Volatile Economy’.
It was for a timely and thought-provoking conversation on the strategic role of communication in leadership, governance, institutional resilience, and national development.
On its official Facebook page, PRSM reports that Ntelela highlighted that MW2063 national vision “can only succeed where there is trust between institutions and citizens”.
He further emphasised “the need for Malawi to intentionally build and project a stronger national image through strategic communication, ethical engagement, and responsible storytelling that inspires confidence, patriotism, investment, and national pride”.
In his keynote address, the MRA Commissioner General, Felix Tambulasi positioned trust as strategic capital and communication as the mechanism through which institutions protect and grow that capital into measurable institutional value.
Reflecting on Malawi’s recent economic realities, including foreign exchange pressures, inflation, fuel volatility, and broader uncertainty, Tambulasi stressed that “institutions today cannot rely on enforcement, infrastructure, or policy alone, but must also invest in transparency, stakeholder engagement, consistency, and feedback-driven communication”.
The interface also held a panel discussion, involving Thom Khanje from the National Planning Commission and PRSM executive member, Thomas Chafunya, which further enriched the conversation through practical reflections from public and private sector leaders.
“The discussion emphasised that communication is not a ‘soft’ function but a core strategic investment directly linked to institutional credibility, stakeholder confidence, and long-term sustainability,” reports the PRSM. “The panelists observed that organisations often only realise the value of communication when it is absent and trust begins to erode.”
The PRSM is the official professional body representing public relations and communication practitioners from both the public and private sectors in Malawi, which was incorporated on December 20, 2016 under the Trustees Incorporation Act.
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The Society aims to elevate the status of the PR profession, enforce sustainable standards and ethics, and promote best professional practices across the country, whose core mission and objectives include:
* Professional standards — developing, promoting, and enforcing strict professional ethics and best practices among practitioners;
* Skills growth — facilitating local training, knowledge sharing, and professional development;
* Strategic value — demonstrating the value of corporate communications to corporate boardrooms and national development agendas; and
* Networking — providing physical and digital platforms for information exchange and professional networking.
PRSM is currently led by Rachel Kalera-Mhango as president and in her opening remarks, she challenged institutions “to rethink communication beyond publicity and visibility — emphasising that communication is ultimately about trust, influence, clarity, alignment, and leadership”.
She maintained that “in today’s highly volatile and digitally connected environment, communication can no longer remain at the periphery of decision-making processes, as reputational damage, stakeholder resistance, and public mistrust often emerge where communication is absent, delayed, or excluded from strategy”.
The interface was also supported by several development partners through financial sponsorship, that included MRA, MERA, Malawi Gaming & Lotteries Authority (MAGLA), and Comms-of-Africa, PRSM’s global media partner.
PRSM expressed its profound appreciation to all participants and institutions that supported the important national conversation, saying: “Together, we continue advancing strategic communication, trusted leadership, and stronger institutions for Malawi’s development”.
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