Women need skills, not favours
Analysing the outcome of the May elections, it is clear that selling off candidates as women may not move the mind of a voter who, apparently, prefers an issue-based campaign rather than gender.
Two female parliamentarians recently told Every Woman that femininity will not amass votes. If anything, campaigners of the 50/50 initiative aimed to increase the representation of women in politics and decision making should re-strategise if they are to succeed.
Members of Parliament (MPs) Esther Mcheka- Chilenje and Juliana Lunguzi have both demonstrated that elections go beyond a vote, as they also require demonstrating commitment.
Mcheka- Chilenje, MP for Nsanje North Constituency, who is also Deputy Speaker of Parliament, said it was not enough to remind electorates that women are custodians of development as basis for securing votes.
She said such a programme cannot be effective if women have no skills to strategically and effectively communicate with electorates.
“Skills development is key to effectively achieve goals envisaged in the 50/50 campaign because capable women without skills can easily be pushed over and left aside from participating in development.
“I would like to plead with all stakeholders involved in championing for the 50/50 campaign to start planning, advocating now and see that women elected deliver in their respective constituencies,” said Mcheka- Chilenje.
She resigned as Deputy Permanent Representative of Malawi to the United Nation (UN) in New York on request from her constituents, who petitioned former president Joyce Banda to bring her back.
Juilana Lunguzi, MP for Dedza East, said women should not expect special favours, but a demonstration that they are just as good and even better than men.
“A woman gains respect from men if she is competitive. I never saw myself as a woman contestant. I was just another candidate,” said Lunguzi.
She too resigned from an international job with the Unied Nations (UN) to serve her constituents.
The 50/50 campaign was being implemented by the NGO- Gender Coordinating Network (GCN). Its executive director Emma Kaliya was unavailable for comment.
She, however, in an earlier interview expressed disappointment at the continued failure of the campaign with fewer women making it to Parliament. Part of her strategy has been campaigning for women to promote them to positions of influence.
