>> Presidential Debate to help electorate

From the Nation Newspaper on May 6 2009
Media Council of Malawi (MCM) has organized presidential debates in the run up to the general elections on May 19. The debates will start on Tuesday, May 12 and will engage all presidential candidates. Edyth Betha spoke to MCM executive director Baldwin Chiyamwaka to explain more on this matter.

How did the Media Council come up with the idea of the presidential debates?
This is one of MCM’s ethics, complaints and disciplinary committee 2009 elections activities. The idea came up after reviewing our role in the lections. One of the critical roles of the media in Malawi is to facilitate conflict free elections during the electoral process. Probably, 80 percent of the election messages that the electorate get are through the media. Maybe 20 percent would be through rallies and civic and voter education. People access radios in the rural areas everyday, albeit at varied levels, so too newspapers in the urban areas. The election campaign messages mediated by the media, particularly through broadcast, are therefore, very crucial in determining the thought process of the electorate. They can make listeners dislike certain candidates and their parties or like them. They can either change or reinforce existing perceptions, attitudes and preferences for particular candidates and their parties. But what is more, the messages can either provoke or reinforce strong dislike leading to hate and eventual conflict or even violence. MCM has been monitoring both the political and media landscape since the electoral process started and is aware that there has not been adequate, issues-based campaign messages and vibrant policy debate among presidential candidates. What the media has been given for coverage are largely personality based campaign messages.

What do you want to achieve from the presidential debate?
Our objectives are very focused and positive. We believe that our presidential candidates have positive and good things to share with the electorate as articulated in their manifestos but given the dictates of our political terrain they might have not focused on promoting their policies and programmes. We strongly believe this forum would give them a valuable opportunity to explain their policies and programmes to the electorate that will soon be electing a president of their choice on 19 May 2009. The debate also offers our candidates a rare and unequalled opportunity to reach out to the Malawian public within a short period of time. We therefore would like that by the end of the debate we should have:

1. Well articulated policies and programmes communicated to the electorate by each candidate.
2. Certainty of a well informed electorate that can make informed choices
3. Voters who until now have not made their choices of candidates decide on who to vote for.

What sort of issues will the presidential candidates debate on?
The debate will be along the following themes: management of national economy, agriculture, poverty reduction/human development and human rights.

How will the presidential debates influence the elections?
Voting Malawians will be better prepared for the elections and therefore, face the elections confidently. A healthy debate which will contribute towards peaceful, free and fair elections will have been conducted, perhaps a rare occasion for Malawians and their leaders. It is hoped that the election climate will be sobered up and the tension that naturally come with elections will be turned into an exiting experience.

What does this mean to the country’s political advancement?
Being the first of its kind it will mean a big leap in terms of political gains. It will also mean progress towards a maturing democracy evidenced by the ability of our politicians to come together and express their diverse views and Malawians being able to make choices and express opinions on their preferences.

Presidential debates are popular in the US where only two parties contest for the presidential seat. Do you think they would be feasible in Malawi where a lot of parties are contesting?
Presidential debates are equally feasible in the Malawian scenario despite that there are a lot of parties contesting. I think it is safe to say that it is not about the number of presidential candidates available, but the way the debate is organized and managed. In this case involvement of the candidates in deciding modalities and parameters even the code for the debate is what is critical. This will ensure that all candidates are satisfied with the conditions and standards of the platform from which they will articulate all their intended plans to the electorate. We must not forget that we are living in a democracy and this connotes equal opportunities.

As the candidates will be given a platform on different days, don’t you think this will give others an opportunity to polish up on the mistakes of their counterparts?
If this was an examination, soliciting the same answers, based on a standard marking scheme there would be fears for repercussions. But this is an election campaign debate which will not be officially rated but will be left open to the public to form their opinions. Naturally a debate of this kind seeks diverse views based on articulation of different policies and programmes-that’s the beauty of it. What the candidates must be best at during the debate are their acquired and intrinsic competencies and abilities to be relevant, original, natural and creative in articulating their vision for Malawi in the next five years. T his will demonstrably show Malawians their masterly of issues, challenges and needs of Malawians are grappling with to make a difference in their lives. In effect, competitively disadvantageous to the candidates if they have their manifestos laid out already. In fact, the topics that will be addressed are already outlined so no one will be caught unaware.

The debate starts on Tuesday which is a working day and not everyone can make it to the venue of the debate. How will the wider public access the debates?
Even if it was a weekend or a holiday, only a limited number of people would be able to come. The debate will be aired live and probably repeated by over 20 radio stations including community radios. Those who will not be able to come will catch the debate from the radio. The organization of the debate involves a lot of stakeholders, including the different political parties who are amid elections campaign and to agree on the dates has not been easy.

What has been the response from the presidential candidates so far?
We have invited them and we urge them to come because this offers them unequalled opportunity.

Any last word?
We appeal to our presidential candidates to come to the debate. Their willingness will be the first test of goodwill for the Malawian nation which they want to serve.

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