The breakfast meeting Chakwera had this morning
* Freedom of expression and freedom of the press is not just a right
* It is a sacred responsibility we must take seriously, because the promotion and protection of all other rights depends on it
By Susan Hara & Sarah Munthali, MANA
At the commemoration of the World Press Freedom Day on Wednesday, President Lazarus Chakwera has pledged that his administration will continue to promote and protect freedom of expression as a driver for all human rights.
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Chakwera hosted members of the press for breakfast at Kamuzu Palace in celebration of the special day for global journalists, where he stressed that the human rights that is enjoyed, cannot be promoted or protected without the right to expression.
“Freedom of expression and freedom of the press is not just a right. It is a sacred responsibility we must take seriously, because the promotion and protection of all other rights depends on it.
“By implication, this also means that this is a sacred responsibility we must never abuse or desecrate or corrupt, because the abuse or desecration or corruption of our freedom of expression or the press puts all other human rights at risk.
The President with aspirants for Misa Malawi presidency
The President then assured journalists in the country that he will fulfill the oath he took as president by upholding the freedoms and rights enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic.
Minister of Information & Digitisation, Moses Kunkuyu applauded the President for hosting the media at Kamuzu palace, saying this shows the cordial relations that exists between government and the media.
“The gathering today is testimony that the media is operating freely without interference,” he said.
Chairperson for Misa Malawi, Teresa Ndanga commended the President for extending an invitation to members of the media, saying this a sign of his commitment to celebrate and uphold media freedom and freedom of expression in the country.
“The breakfast engagement provides an opportunity for us to share with you the developments in our sector to to engage with them as a sign of commitment to uphold media freedom and expression in the country and allow them to share with him any emerging issues concerning the sector.”
Ndanga further commended the current administration for the legislative milestones registered in the past 12 months, among others repealing of seditious laws like, the amendment of the Protected Flag, Emblems and Names Act.
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The outgoing Misa chairperson bemoaned the existence of some defamation laws, which she said criminalise and punish the exercise of freedoms that the Constitution guarantees.
“Criminal defamation is benefitting the powerful, those in advantaged positions at the expense of the country’s scarce resources,” she said. “The injured can file for defamation and get their remedy without all the drama associated with criminal defamation. We therefore appeal to your administration to consider repealing this law.”
The United Nations set a side the day to commemorate Press Freedom and as defined by UNESCO, this year’s theme is: ‘Shaping a Future of Rights: Freedom of expression as a driver for all other human rights’.
Every year on May 3, World Press Freedom Day is celebrated in order to emphasise the value of press freedom and the difficulties that journalists encounter in their work around the world.
Following the recommendations of the General Conference of UNESCO, the day was declared by the United Nations General Assembly in 1993.
History of the day
When a group of African journalists gathered in Namibia for a UNESCO conference on fostering an independent and pluralistic press, they came up with the initial concept for World Press Freedom Day. They proposed declaring May 3rd, a global day to honour and safeguard journalistic freedom.
The UNESCO General Conference later approved the idea in 1993, and the UN General Assembly proclaimed that World Press Freedom Day would be celebrated on May 3 every year.
Since then, the day has been marked every year to bring attention to the value of press freedom and the necessity of preserving the independence of media.
The purpose of World Press Freedom Day serves as a reminder of the significance of the right to freedom of speech, which is a basic human right recognised in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
To encourage accountability and openness in the government and other institutions, free and independent media is crucial. The day serves as a reminder of how vital journalists are in keeping the powerful accountable and ensuring that the public has access to truthful and objective information.
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