Towards the end of last year, Zomba Malosa Member of Parliament (MP) Grace Kwelepeta stood up in Parliament and said she felt underrated by negative comments that some male MPs were making in the august House when she tried to contribute to an ongoing debate.
She went on to appeal to male legislators to respect their female counterparts during parliamentary debates, arguing that the persistent underrating of women in Parliament, through disparaging remarks discourages women that aspire for political leadership positions from participating in politics.
A bit of background check on Kwelepeta shows that before joining Malawi Parliament in 2019, she served as a secondary school teacher. She gave up her teaching job to serve Malawians in a different capacity. Among other roles, she once served as Deputy Minister of Gender as well as member of the Parliamentary Committee on Transport and Public Infrastructure.
Such an accomplished woman should certainly not be underrated in Parliament. But there she was, being subdued by male legislators as she tried to contribute to an important debate in the House. The fact that she did not point out a specific male member who disrespected her may mean the disparaging remarks may have come from several men.
Her concern, ever so genuine, was one that many female parliamentarians have had to grapple with for decades. While some have spoken out, others in the same august House have chosen to look the other way; probably out of frustration of fighting the same battle again and again, with no real change in sight. I saluted Kwelepeta for being bold enough to interrupt the heated debate on the Fuel Bill that was under discussion on that day, to raise an equally important issue, particularly for Parliament members to be mindful of.
It was good that the Leader of the House Richard Chimwendo Banda supported Kwelepeta’s call, and called on all MPs to foster a more inclusive and respectful environment in Parliament to encourage meaningful contributions from all members, regardless of their gender.
That was a welcome call, but I wished the Leader of the House or, indeed, the Speaker, called out the perpetrators and disciplined them to set an example. Parliament is a place of records; hence, it is not too late to take the required action on this to set an example to others who may be tempted to go down the same path. Disparaging remarks against women is a form of gender-based violence as it is verbal abuse, and any gender abuse should not be tolerated in a democracy.
It is important to send the right messages on these issues in this election year, when Malawians are expected to vote in presidential, parliamentary and local government elections on September 16. Such careless conduct in Parliament, if not dealt with, could have a far-reaching impact on how voters view and treat women during the campaign and at the ballot.
Currently, Parliament has only 21 percent female representation. These few bold women have weathered the storm–from struggling with resources to pay elections nomination fees, enduring derogatory remarks during the campaign period, and going against cultural and societal expectations that limit women’s role to the kitchen—to make it to Parliament and other political leadership seats. With such denigrating treatment in Parliament, it is little wonder that we are still struggling as a country, to increase the number of women in Parliament to meet the 60:40 representation as required by the Gender Equality Act.
Therefore, it is important that Parliament, activists, and policy makers set the tone by changing the gender narrative. This is one way we can make the 2025 election one of positive change which will create a historic precedent by ushering in more women in Parliament and local government seats. To achieve this, it is important to ensure that everyone’s voice is heard, by intentionlly creating spaces that enhance the democratic participation of female candidates and voters and ensuring that the political sphere is free from intimidation, violence and threats. Any form of gender-based violence—whether physical, verbal or psychological—should be countered and the perpetrators held to account.
The 2025 elections can be a game-changer on gender equality, if we break down the barriers that prevent women from participating in elected positions and ensure that the voices of female politicians are heard loud and clear. No citizen, or Parliamentarian, has the right to silence another based on their gender. Let us crack down on any efforts to silence and trample upon women, and ensure that women are not unfairly prevented from participating in politics.
