Karonga Town Constituency is set to produce two female ward councillors, a development which has excited women’s rights activists.
Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) unofficial results show that National Development Party candidate Myness Mwalweni was leading in Kaluma North Ward and Malawi Congress Party candidate Tiwonge Chindamba was leading in South Rukuru Ward.
National Initiative for Civic Education Trust Karonga district programmes officer Nathan Sakala, whose institution campaigned for equal representation at Parliament and Local Government through Nthawi Yawo Project, in an interview attributed the success to the awareness campaigns conducted in the district.
I Jordan Simeon-Phiri
He said: “The success provides a change in 50:50 gender representation strategy although at a snail’s pace.
“This is so because despite many women showing interest to contest, many citizens did not vote for them due to cultural beliefs.
On her part, Karonga District principal gender development officer Ireen Mwenelupembe while describing the development as sad, said it was better than nothing.
“It is sad because according to unofficial results from MEC, the gap between male and female councillors is too huge.
“However, it is an achievement as the district has improved from one to two councilors,” she said.
Karonga has 14 wards. However, MEC cancelled local government elections in Ighembe Ward in Karonga Songwe Constituency because the names Margaret Mwakalinga and Adrian Masimbi went missing on the ballot paper
