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“When false claims are identified and corrected quickly, they prevent misinformation from taking root and influencing public opinion,” MISA Zambia National Director Austin Kayanda has said.
Media Institute of Southern Africa says timely debunking of fake news is critical in preventing fear, mistrust and conflict as Zambia heads to the polls in a few days.
Speaking in an interview, Kayanda said the increasing spread of misinformation and disinformation, particularly on social media, poses a threat to informed decision making and peaceful elections if citizens fail to verify information before sharing it.
Kayanda said elections are a critical democratic process and that voters should base their choices on factual, credible and verified information rather than rumours, propaganda or manipulated content.
“As citizens, we have a responsibility to be deliberate about the information we consume and share. If we do not take time to verify its authenticity, we risk making important decisions based on falsehoods,” he said.
Kayanda explained that misleading content, including fabricated statements, edited videos and recycled images presented as current events, can easily trigger panic, anger and even violence when people react before establishing the facts.
He said this is why media and information literacy has become an essential life skill for every citizen, as it enables people to assess the credibility of information, distinguish facts from opinion and identify manipulation.
Kayanda said an informed society is less vulnerable to misinformation and more likely to contribute to peaceful and credible elections.
Meanwhile, he urged citizens to verify information before sharing it, rely on credible news sources and report false or misleading content instead of amplifying it.
He also called on political actors to refrain from spreading unverified claims or inflammatory messages capable of inciting violence, saying elections should be contested through ideas, policies and respectful engagement.
Kayanda further appealed to journalists to uphold professional standards by fact-checking every claim, consulting multiple credible sources and providing balanced and accurate coverage throughout the electoral period.
“Peaceful elections depend not only on peaceful conduct but also on responsible communication”, he said.
Contributed by Beatrice Chabaya
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