Mzuzu, Malawi – 3 May 2025– Malawi President Lazarus Chakwera has called for stronger collaboration between the government and the media to combat the growing crisis of misinformation and restore public trust in institutions.
Speaking during the 2025 Presidential Press Breakfast held in Mzuzu, the President reflected on the challenges of living in an era where citizens often find themselves either uninformed, misinformed, or deliberately disinformed. Citing American actor Denzel Washington’s observation that “if you don’t read the news you are uninformed, but if you do, you are misinformed,” the President described the situation as a serious threat to democracy—particularly in an election year.
Chakwera drew from the work of journalist Steven Brill to explain the difference between misinformation, which is the unintentional spread of falsehoods, and disinformation, which is the deliberate creation of lies. He warned that both forms of falsehood, along with a general lack of access to reliable information, were eroding public trust in both government and media institutions.
“The same percentage of people who say they no longer trust governments is nearly the same as those who say they don’t trust the media anymore,” he said. “But despite this crisis of credibility, the media and the state remain the main sources of information for the public.”
He stressed that the only way forward is for the media and state institutions to work hand-in-hand to uphold high standards of objectivity, accuracy, and fairness. Drawing from another book titled The Death of Truth by bestselling author Michiko Kakutani, Chakwera said the solution lies in promoting objective reasoning and civil discourse in both journalism and governance.
“In a world where anyone can post anything online without accountability or ethics, we must lead by example,” the President said. “We must avoid sensationalism, pursue balanced reporting, and treat each other not as enemies, but as partners.”
President Chakwera concluded by reaffirming his commitment to press freedom and urged the media to rise above social media noise, insisting that together, the government and the press can help shape a well-informed electorate. He wished all journalists a reflective and meaningful World Press Freedom Day.
