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Political parties on Thursday differed on what strategy can best increase the number of women in politics.
Some said the electoral law should give three seats in every 10 to women and others opting for a proportional representation (PR) electoral system where people vote for parties not candidates to uplift women.
In his contribution to the discussion at a high level workshop on women participation in politics and decision-making for political parties organised by the Gender Electoral Support Network (Gesn) in Blantyre, opposition MCP secretary general Bazuka Mhango said women are part of the problem in not achieving increased participation of women in politics.
He said the question of equality can only be achieved through affirmative action by, among other things, changing the electoral process to reserve a certain number of seats for women although, he said, this did not mean they could not compete on a level playing field.
But Malawi Democratic Party (MDP) president Kamlepo Kalua said the PR system is the only means to attain a 50:50 representation between men and women because “putting a different system for men and women is not equality.”
Kalua’s argument was, however, dismissed by People’s Progressive Movement (PPM) deputy treasurer general Dorothy Ngoma who said even in most sports disciplines, including the popular soccer, women and men do not compete on the same level.
“Why is it that women and men form different football teams? There is a reason for that and we can also give women a 30 percent quota to compete among themselves,” she said.
However, National Unity Party (NUP) president Harry Chiume said women were not forthcoming to take up positions in parties despite his party making a deliberate effort to have “at least 20 percent of executive positions occupied by women.”
UDF publicity secretary Ken Lipenga said in an interview economic factors and resistance by men to have women leaders are some factors contributing to low women participation in politics.
But Lipenga said fast-track formulas such as empowering the President of Malawi to nominate a number of MPs from interest groups including women are part of the solution to have more women.
“When President Muluzi proposed such an arrangement he was not asking for more powers, or to put only UDF women in Parliament. In this democratic dispensation, we could have put mechanisms to monitor the nominations to ensure the balance does not tilt in favour of one party,” he said.
Responding to a question on what her party is doing to uplift women, National Democratic Alliance (NDA) vice president (administration) Mary-Claire Makungwa said in an interview her party encourages women to take up positions on merit and is currently challenging them to come forward to contest in the forthcoming tripartite elections.
“Wherever we will have women aspirants we will give our priority and, funds permitting, we are prepared to help them financially and with mobility to effectively campaign,” she said, boasting that NDA is the only party with a woman veep.
Officially opening the two-day meeting, High Court Judge Tujilane Chizumila challenged the participants to strategise on the best way to increase women’s participation in politics.
She said a lot more women than in 1994 and 1999 are getting bolder and daring to challenge the traditional male dominance in 2004 elections and hailed the church for trying its best “after some bruises” to have women in decision-making positions.
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