Parliamentary debates, political exchanges and decisions made inside the National Assembly often make headlines, but understanding what those proceedings mean for ordinary Malawians requires more than simply reporting what happened.
From laws passed to government spending and oversight activities, parliamentary business has a direct bearing on citizens’ lives, making journalists’ understanding of legislative processes important in keeping the public informed.
Deputy Clerk of Parliament responsible for Procedural Services, Joseph Manzi, says journalists need specialised knowledge of parliamentary procedures to effectively explain these activities to the people.
Speaking during a parliamentary training workshop for journalists in Lilongwe on Wednesday, Manzi said Parliament had observed instances of inaccurate reporting, prompting the institution to organise the training to improve journalists’ understanding of its operations.
He said MPs undertake various responsibilities, particularly lawmaking and oversight, but citizens cannot fully appreciate their representatives’ work if information about these processes does not reach them.
“There is a lot that is happening in Parliament. Members of Parliament do quite a lot in terms of oversight and making laws. But those processes are not known to the people,” said Manzi.
He added that Parliament wanted the workshop to become a continuous engagement rather than a one-off activity, saying management was ready to organise further training based on recommendations from participating journalists.
Vice Chairperson of the Parliamentary Press Gallery Committee, Doris Chanache, welcomed the initiative, describing it as a long-awaited opportunity for journalists covering Parliament to strengthen their professional skills.
She said the training would benefit both experienced parliamentary reporters and those who are occasionally assigned by their media houses to cover National Assembly proceedings.
The importance of such training is reflected in an Afrobarometer survey conducted in 2022, which found that only 17 percent of Malawians had contacted their MPs, highlighting limited direct interaction between citizens and their elected representatives.
For citizens who rarely interact with their MPs, accurate media coverage provides an important channel for understanding parliamentary activities, following their representatives’ performance and knowing how decisions made in the National Assembly affect their communities.
This makes parliamentary journalism important beyond reporting speeches and political exchanges, as citizens also need explanations of legislative decisions, government accountability and issues debated on their behalf.
