Malawian Muslims have been asked not to go to a polling station on May 20 this year before signing a memorandum of understanding with all major political parties in the country. The call was made on Sunday at Malawi Sun Hotel during the launch of a new organization which has been formed to feel the gap of good governance in the country.
Delivering his 20 minutes speech, the Lilongwe Coordinator for the Muslims Task force for democracy Aman Chikopa said that time has come for Muslims to take part in these elections with full knowledge of their expectation rather than just voting ignorantly as this has been the trend in the past.
The coordinator reminded the gathering that it is the right of every Malawi citizen and Muslims included to vote and be voted for into any office and benefit in the end.
For this to happen, according to Chikopa “we need to remain united and demand what is right for us by signing a memorandum of understanding with all major political parties in this country.”
He was referring to the agreement like what PAC has done with all presidential candidates that whoever comes into power Muslims should stand to benefit with their votes.
In fact, Muslims constitute a very big number in the country, we can make a president, and therefore we should not be taken for a ride as it has been happening in the past, Malawi is for all of us, and hence the cake should be shared equally.
Chikopa hinted that, the agreement among other things will demand 43 percent of Muslims representation in all key government decision making positions. For example if Malawi needs to open 20 embassy offices outside the country 8 Ambassadors should be Muslims.
In an interview, on how the demanding document will be implemented, Chairman for MTD Abdul-Rhman Ajasie said “our legal team is currently busy with the modalities on how these demands will be implemented and what measures will be taken if our demands are not met, ask me in two to three weeks to come then I will be in a position to give an answer to that question. We believe that Muslims are well educated where they can equally contribute to the development of this country just like people of other faiths.”
Malawi has 28 Districts and Ajasie says MTD needs 12 Muslims out of the total figure, and the list extends to many other positions like the OPC , Principal Secretaries, Directors and their Deputy Directors, Board Chair Persons of different statutory bodies like NICE, MBC, MHRC and many more.
