Activist seeks explanation on few women in Cabinet
walk the talk
Gender activist Ngeyi Kanyongolo has demanded an explanation on why Malawi President Peter Mutharika has appointed only three women in his 20-member Cabinet, describing the move as a disappointment and mockery to women.
The appointment of three women in the Cabinet represents 15 percent representation for the group that makes up 55 percent of the national population.
In an interview on Tuesday, Kanyongolo, a law lecturer at the University of Malawi’s Chancellor College in Zomba, said the governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), in its manifesto, specifically talked about gender equality.
Kanyongolo said government should be held accountable and it should come forward and offer an explanation to the public on why it had to go against its promises.
She said: “When I first saw the Cabinet and the 15 percent women representation, I was very surprised and my immediate reaction was, just a few weeks in government, the ruling party has failed to walk the talk as promised in its manifesto.
“There is serious need for the electorate to be organised in order to hold the government accountable because the government has a duty to live up to its promises .”
Kanyongolo dismissed claims made by some quarters that there are only a few number of women MPs elected on DPP’s ticket and the President had a tough choice, saying that is not an excuse because even some male ministers who have been appointed are not MPs.
However, executive director for National Women’s Lobby Group, Faustace Chirwa, said the President’s decision to have only three women ministers in a Cabinet of 20 is understandable and it would be unfair for women to be “crying”.
Malawi is signatory to the Southern Africa Development Community (Sadc) protocol on gender and development which stipulates that the member States ensure equal representation by women and men.
In his first Cabinet after being successful in the 2004 general elections, President Bingu wa Mutharika appointed a 28-member Cabinet which had five women members representing 17 percent of the whole Cabinet.
Former president Joyce Banda, in her last Cabinet appointed in October 2013, announced a 32-member Cabinet with nine female ministers representing 28 percent.
It’s on merit and faithfulness and not just gender mama. He can not just choose anyhow to please women. Show and prove to him that u can fit-in and not just making noises. Nowhere, it will take you.
What merit are you talking about? If you base things on merit, can Kaliati come anywhere close to Kanyongolo? APM is a useless fellow, just like the rest of his cabinet. Look, you can’t turn a donkey into a racing horse!
The issue is most of these women in high positions are dull, and clueless eg FORMER PRESIDENT JB, MERIA NOWA PHIRI and MISS CHIMWENJE then MANEB EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS etc.