The Malawi Electoral Commission finally released the results of the May 20 & 21, 2014 parliamentary and local government elections.
Reports indicate that there are about 20 Muslims who were elected out of the 192 Members of the august house representing a 10% representation. This percentage is not far from the official Muslim population of 12%, according to the 2012 Malawi National Housing and Population census.
The names of the successful MPs are as follows: –
- Uladi Mussa (PP)
- Kasimu Liguluwe (PP)
- Ilyas Abdul Karim (PP)
- Abubakar Mbaya (UDF)
- Aisha Mambo Adams (UDF)
- Mussa Misolo Kapichira (UDF)
- Aufi Mpaweni (UDF)
- Atupele Muluzi (UDF)
- Ernest Yahaya (UDF)
- Shaibu Kaliati (UDF)
- David Lalli (UDF)
- Grant Ndecha (UDF)
- Idi Kalosi (UDF)
- Aboo Naliwa (Independent)
- Mahomed Hanif Osman (Independent)
- Abdul Rashid Gaffar (Independent)
- Gabu Bob Khamisa (Independent)
- Daudi Abiyani Chida (Independent)
- Rashid John Msusa Pemba (Independent)
- Zaheer Issa (Independent)
Many Muslims preffered to stand under Peoples Party (PP), United Democratic Front (UDF) and on independent tickets. Conspicuously missing from the list are names of Muslims who contested under the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) as it appears that none made it into parliament. Muslim researchers have to find out why Muslims shunned from standing under those two major parties and as to why, for those few who contested, failed to impress the electorate in their respective constituencies.
It is also surprising that only one woman, Aisha Mambo Adams succeeded, at her second attempt to enter into parliament, and it is crucial that Muslim women must be encouraged to participate if we are to uplift the status of Muslim women in Malawi.
Uladi Mussa remains the longest serving Muslim MP followed by Abubakar M’baya. Abdul Rashid Gaffar has made a come back after a five year break.
It is unfortunate that in some constituencies especially in Mangochi, Muslims contested against each other and in the end they gave a chance to non-Muslims to snatch the seats away from them.
Some of the Muslims who contested but failed to win the honourables’ race are: –
- Haroon Mia (Chikwawa)
- Salim Bagus (Chikwawa)
- Yusuf Matumula (Mangochi) – sitting MP
- Ibrahim Matola (Mangochi) – sitting MP
- Shamil Asibu (Mangochi)
- Ishmail Kazembe (Mangochi)
- Cassim Chilumpha (Nkhotakota) – sitting MP
- Fahad Assani (Nkhotakota)
- Nazreen Pillane (Balaka) – sitting MP
- Halima Daudi (Dowa) – sitting MP
- Yusuf Aufi (Mulanje)
- January Bwanali (Thyolo)
- Ali Kaka (Blantyre)
among others…….
The Malawi Muslims Official Website joins the rest of the Muslims in Malawi in congratulating all those Muslims who successfully made it into the Malawi National Assembly. We hope that they will champion the cause of Islam.
LIST OF NEWLY ELECTED MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT
Saiti Jambo also contributed to the article.
