Minister of Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare Patricia Kaliati has rebuked gender activists for accusing President Peter Mutharika of being gender insensitive.
According to recent reports, activists have argued that the President disregarded women when he appointed only three women to his 20-member Cabinet and two women to the seven-member Civil and Public Service Commission.
But speaking in an interview at the National Assembly last week, Kaliati defended Mutharika, saying it is not government’s or the President’s fault “that there are few women parliamentarians and those holding other important positions”.
“The activists need to fault themselves because they started very late to campaign for women. They were supposed to be on top of matters long time ago to make sure that government is taken to task so we should have a lot of women in politics,” said Kaliati.
The minister, however, urged the activists to embark on programmes that will empower women.
“This is the time to start promoting women in decision-making and other important positions,” she said.
