Muslim Association of Malawi (MAM) Sheikh Idrissa Muhammad has asked Muslims in the country to go en masse to register and vote come 2014 and that nobody shouldย force them to join any political party.
Speaking during the official opening of Muslim Women Ijtmah in Lunzu Blantyre, the Muslimsโ leader said Muslims have a right to join any party without being intimidated.
โEveryone is free to elect candidates of their choice come 2014 without fearing anything. Nobody should come and cheat you that you have to vote such party because it is Islamic. No, there is no Islamic or Halaal political party in Malawi,โ he said.
The Chairman also thanked Dr Joyce Banda for considering Muslims in high positions saying it is first time Muslims have been appointed in higher government positions.
On another note, the chairman asked the President to do everything possible to make sure that marriages for indigenous Malawians are recognised in the countryโs Penal Code.
โIn Islam, we donโt look whether this is an Arab, a Black or an Asian Muslim โ we are all equal. So we wonder why only marriages for our Asian brothers are recognised in the constitution except us. You have to help us because this has been our worry since the country attained independence. Dr Kamuzu Bandasโ regime ended without any change. There came Dr Bakili Muluzi, again no change and duringย the Professor Bingu waย Mutharikaโs regime it was all the same. So, we donโt know what is the problem thatโs why we are urging you to help us and I am sure you will do,โ he said.
In her remarks, the President assured the chairman that her government will do something on the issue.
