Chisomo Ngulube Writes

President Lazarous Chakwera's first 31-member cabinet has 12 women and Malawi's gender rights activists who had been pushing for the inclusion of more females in decision making positions have commended the decision. This is despite the numbers falling short of the 40 percent minimum for either gender as prescribed by law. But, they are not amused by the decision not to have a clearly stipulated Ministry of Gender and Disability and the fact that most of the women appointees (eight) are deputies.  

  Malawi's new President Lazarus Chakwera and his deputy Saulos Chilima according to official presidential election results, will go into office with a huge load of expectations from Malawians to clean up the mess in the running of the affairs of the tiny southern African country and set it on a path to real growth.  The results clearly indicate how people in the urban and rural areas lost trust in the DPP administration led by Peter Mutharika as nearly 60 percent of them voted to boot him out of Sanjika or Kamuzu Palace whichever you fancy.

The 2019 Parliamentary, Presidential and Local Government elections will be remembered for the heightened campaign to see more women elected into higher office, through the 50-50 Campaign. While some progress was made on the parliamentary and local government fronts, attempts to see more women in the highest office of President were thwarted, as the only woman who had intended to contest, former president Joyce Banda withdrew her candidature to support the Malawi Congress Party. News that the May 21, 2019 presidential election results had been nullified by the courts offered a new window of opportunity for women who constitute over 52 percent of Malawians to actively participate. But when the final list of nine  political party and possible independent candidates for the July 21 election was released by the Malawi Electoral Commission, women were conspicuously missing. It means no woman will make it onto the ballot paper as a presidential candidate.

Campaigners for more female inclusion in positions of power have lamented the failure by some female political stalwarts to retain their Parliamentary seats. Preliminary results show that UTM General Secretary Patricia Kaliati who has served as Parliamentarian for Mulanje West since 1999 is among the unconfirmed casualties that also include former Minister of Gender and Democratic Progressive Party candidate for Dowa Central Jean Kalilani, former Malawi Congress Party spokesperson Jessie Kabwila, former first lady Patricia Shanil Dzimbiri, outspoken Dedza East former MCP MP Juliana Lunguzi and DPP secretary general Grezelder Jeffrey.