PR Society says hate speech leads to political violence 

Most local politicians are not  practising their freedom of speech but they are cynical exploiters of it with  the Public Relations Society of Malawi (PRSM) condemning hate speech ahead of the May 21 2019 Tripartite Elections.

The PR Society is appealing to individuals, political and faith groups to tame their tongues to avoid inciting violence.

The society’s president Lewis Msasa said the current trend of hate speech in the country could fuel intolerance among ethnic, political and religious groups which could breed violence.

“PRSM recommends reflective message development, an aspect of good Public Relations (PR) and communications, to avert utterances that could be a recipe for violence.

“Political parties and religious institutions can only genuinely build their credibility and recruit more members through positive messages that demonstrate respect for others,” said Msasa in the society’s statement.

It continued: “Democrat flourishes where there us an open and free exchange of ideas and mutual respect. Respect should permeate all levels of society for the country to be well-regarded internationally.”

PRSM was official launched on August 4 this year to promote professional PR for national development.