Malawi Elections : Women aspirants fight each other in Balaka North

Balaka North is one of the very few constituencies in Malawi where an all-women tussle for Parliament has raged on since official opening of the campaign period in March. For women empowerment activists, that would have been a cause for hope and cerebration- that come what may on May19, one of their own will take that honorable walk to the house of laws.

The situation and the women say no- that women could carry the campaign tag with dignity and respect is simply believing in opium smoke as a five-course meal.   

Two of the women contesting in the constituency- Gertrude Nkhani of the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and Gertrude Maseko (two gertrudes contesting in an all-women constituency that happens to be a rarity in this election) of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)- agree that campaigning hasn't been the dignified process it was supposed to be.

Nkhani said she was disappointed that the women she is contesting against have been behaving like 'men"- foul language and disrespect for fellow contenders as if politics was a dirty game won by the toughest devil.

"Politics has been taken interpreted wrongly, here in Malawi, because people have not started dwelling on policies and ideologies. Instead, we personalize issues. Imagine, some of the contestants have conspired with chiefs to stop me from holding rallies or, if I do, they sent people to jerk at me. They speak all sorts of things, which is disappointing of women," said Nkhani.

She said she was largely disappointed with disruptive strategies employed by her competitors. Nkhani said the women were supposed to unite instead because, whatever happens, a woman will go to parliament from Balaka North this year.

Maseko, on her part, expressed similar sentiments. She said she had also been castigated by fellow women contestants, a development that showed lack of unity of purpose (in terms of women empowerment) but hoped that things would change as the country's democracy, like wine, comes of age.

"There is need for us, as women, to unite and show men how things should be done. We shouldn't be in the forefront castigating fellow women as has largely happened," said Maseko.

May19, 2009 could just be that other step towards maturity for Malawi's democracy; the way the Balaka North (constituency) women put it.

AEP/Richard Chirombo