Political party leaders in Thyolo District have pledged to ensure peace ahead of the September 16 2025 General Election.
They made the commitment on Tuesday in Luchenza Municipality in the district during a conflict resolution meeting Institute for Policy Interaction (IPI) organised in collaboration with the National Initiative for Civic Education (Nice) Trust.
Malawi Congress Party district governor Ben Tambala said they agreed to safeguard the peaceful environment before and after the elections.
He said: “We do not want violence in Thyolo. It is bad for political party leaders to be in the forefront preaching messages that incite violence or make people to look at each other as enemies.
“Going forward, we pledge to join hands and say no to violence.”
On his part, the district’s UTM Party director of youth Osman Jafali said they want free, fair and credible elections, as such, they will not allow violence or any irregularity to mar the elections.
“When I go back to my constituency, I will tell the youth to avoid any tendencies that may ignite violence,” he said.
Jafali said they will not accept to be divided by some overzealous politicians.
IPI project officer Praise Mwenegamba expressed satisfaction with the party leaders’ stand and encouraged them to work together to promote peace.
“You should be champions of peace and desist from any tendencies that instigate violence,” he said.
On his part, Thyolo Nice programme officer Moses Kaunda challenged the party leaders to be exemplary by doing things together to show their followers that they are one irrespective of their political affiliations.
IPI held the meeting with funding from the United Nations Development Programmme under a Malawi Electoral Support Project
