Chakwera wins women’s hearts

Women’s rights campaigners in the country have praised President Lazarus Chakwera for appointing women to top positions in the public service.

This follows the appointment of the country’s first female Inspector General of Police Merlyne Nachulu Yolamu, who was approved by Parliament on August 5 2022, among other appointments.

In an interview yesterday, Women’s Legal Resources Centre (Wolrec) executive director Maggie Kathewera Banda hailed President Chakwera, saying he has demonstrated his respect for the rule of law, one of which is the Gender Equality Act of 2013.

“If I were to rate him, I would say over 90 percent on gender. The President is walking the talk on the promises he made to govern by the rule of law,” she said.

Kathewera Banda urged women appointed to different positions to carry out their duties diligently and professionally, saying this is the time to show the world that women perform.

“Their appointment is as a result of their sound qualifications. They must rise to the occasion. They shouldn’t allow anyone to demean them because they’re capable,” she said.

Recently, Chakwera has made various public appointments where women have been given frontline positions in government’s departments and parastatals.

In the current Cabinet, out of 29 ministers, 12 are female and 17 are male, representing 41 and 59 percent, respectively.

Malawi Human Rights Resource Centre director Emma Kaliya said yesterday that it is pleasing to note that the President is abiding by the instruments Malawi ratified on gender equality.

“You can’t be a signatory to international instruments but fail to follow them. The President is obliged to abide by them, including our own Gender Equality Act of 2013.

“We applaud the President for the gesture.”

Minister of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare Patricia Kaliati yesterday said Chakwera is a true champion of women’s rights.

“The President has the passion to end gender disparities in the country. This is part of the promises he made during the campaign and they’re now coming to fruition,” she said.

In October 2020, Women’s Manifesto, a consortium of gender equality organisations, came out in their large numbers across the country’s major cities demonstrating against the composition of boards of 67 parastatals the President constituted, which consisted of 20 percent women.