Sub-Traditional Authority (ST/A) Ngunga of Machinga District has urged fellow traditional leaders to resolve land disputes quickly to maintain peace in their areas.
He said this on Sunday after a two-day peace building training Malawi Human Rights Resource Centre (MHRC) in collaboration with Forum for Youth Development organised at Liwonde in the district.
“Disagreements over land take away our time and energy for development,” said the chief.
However, Ngunga commended MHRRC for equipping them with skills to resolve conflicts.
“I am optimistic that peace will return to our communities,” he said.
On her part, Leaders with Compassion Party Women’s Wing chairperson Elizabeth Chabwera called for unity among politicians to help curb political violence.
“We need to remind people that politics is temporary and life goes on after elections. If our leader is not elected, we must accept the outcome,” she said.
Speaking on behalf of faith leaders, Mary Puzani of the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian said they will take the message of peace to their followers.
MHRRC Mtendere Project programmes officer Charles Gawani said they organised the training to strengthen peace structures in peace-building efforts in the district.
“There are only two women out of 12 members in the district’s peace and unity committee. It is evident that structural barriers such as religion, culture and politics bar women from playing influential roles in the district,” he said.
UN Peace-Building Fund through UN Women Malawi is funding the nine-month Mtendere Project in T/As Chikweo, Mlomba, Mposa and Nchinguza in the district.
