Malawi counts down to 2019 May 21st General Elections. Political parties, Civil Society Organizations, faith-based organizations and other governing stakeholders in the country are toiling laboriously that Malawi realizes a free, fair, credible and transparent electoral results when the process is over.
On January 26th 2019, the Catholic Church in Malawi under the Episcopal Conference of Malawi with funding from Propaganda Fide (propagation of faith) through Pontifical Mission Societies in Malawi organized a training for Catholic journalists at Our lady of Africa Conference Centre in Lilongwe.
At the workshop, Catholic Journalists serving in all media houses in the country got equipped with advanced skills and better knowledge on how to prepare electorates for elections. On the other hand, the journalists were reminded Catholic social values to be integrated in their professionalism as journal men and women.
In his inaugural speech, Rev. Dr. Henry Saindi (guest of honor at the function), who represented Bishop Montfort Stima, Bishop Chair of Communications and Research Commission in Malawi hailed Catholic Journalists for working diligently to promote Catholicism through media.
“Our main papers in the country always carry stories to do with the Catholic Church. I attribute this is to your effective reporting and positive contributions to media outlets. The Church is proud of you and your work. I therefore beg of you to keep publishing about your faith and Church,” Dr. Saindi said. On this, he pleaded with them to broaden their horizon by contributing constructive stories to media platforms for balanced dissemination of information on Church related developments.
Fr. Dr. Saindi urged the Journalists to emulate St. Thomas Moore who valued his faith over his profession. “Remember you became Christians before you became journalists”. He added. However Fr. Saindi advised all ACJ members to be influential weapons for evangelization by way of deepening their spiritual faith.
President for ACJ in Malawi, Mr. Augustine Mulomole, mentioned that ACJ is growing in numbers and in strength due to cordial relationship that exists amongst the members, the team leadership and the Church authorities in the country. He henceforth hailed the arrangement to have a training which will enormously benefit the journalists, the Malawian Church and the nation as a whole.
“This is capacity building activity is timely. The tripartite elections are just months ahead. We, journalists need to be better equipped for the elections,” Mulomole said.
Fr. Godhino Phokoso, ECM Communications and Research Coordinator called on ACJ members in Malawi to make good use of essential knowledge and skills acquired during the workshop if they are to outrival in their regional chapters.
Over 40 Journalists from the 8 dioceses in the country turned for workshop. The journalists were treated to the ‘Social Teaching of the Church’ and ‘Resource Mobilization Skills’ by Fr. Henry Chinkanda and Mr. John Mulume respectively.
The training follows a meeting for Catholic Journalists held in September 2017.