The Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Zambia says as the country prepares for the August 2026 general elections next month, journalists have an important responsibility to provide citizens with accurate, timely and impartial information to enable them make informed decisions.
MISA Zambia Director Austin Kayanda notes that election reporting goes beyond covering political campaigns and announcing results, stating that it also involves promoting the public interest, amplifying the voices of citizens, scrutinising aspiring leaders, encouraging peaceful democratic participation and holding institutions accountable.
Speaking during the closure of the Media and Election Capacity Building workshop in Lusaka, he stressed that a responsible media is essential for democratic governance and attaining sustainable national development.
“The media plays a critical role in safeguarding democracy, promoting informed public participation and strengthening the integrity of the electoral process,” Mr Kayanda indicated.
And he urged journalists to embrace emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) responsibly, noting that while AI has the potential to improve newsroom efficiency, investigative reporting and fact-checking, it also poses risks through the spread of misinformation, disinformation and manipulated digital content.
Mr Kayanda reaffirmed MISA Zambia’s commitment to supporting media practitioners through continued capacity building, advocacy for press freedom, promotion of media ethics and engagement with stakeholders to create an enabling environment for journalists to operate independently, safely and professionally.
Meanwhile, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Senior Elections Advisor Takawira Musavengana observed that many political parties have increasingly shifted from traditional media to social media influencers, musicians and other content creators to disseminate election information.
He challenged media practitioners to reflect on the reasons behind the shift, including whether declining public trust in mainstream media has contributed to the growing reliance on alternative sources of information.
And delivering a vote of thanks on behalf of the participants, Lucy Nambela expressed gratitude to the United Nations Development Programme, UNESCO, the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ), MISA Zambia and cooperating partners for investing in the media ahead of the August 2026 general election.
Ms Nambela, a Reporter from Capital FM, is optimistic that the participants had gained valuable knowledge on election laws, media ethics, journalist safety, cyber laws, digital journalism, ethical use of Artificial Intelligence among other topics which had equipped participants with practical skills that they can apply in their respective newsrooms.
