‘Akweni’s mum?’ Trending on social media photos of Malawi minister a tomato vendor

She has spoken with verve and squeaking aplomb to promote the rights of women at various forums in the country. To many people, she is viewed as a gender-equality hawk who will always defend the vulnerable of society and will not hesitate to chew-out anyone seen to tramp upon these universal rights.

Many people who are fooled by this outward presentation would be gasp for breath if told that mother to the Minister who promotes gender-equality in the country, Patricia Kaliati, lives in dire poverty and lives on pitiful proceeds from selling tomatoes in the backwaters of Chiladzulu.

The Minister is a vocal advocate for the rights of women. It defies wisdom the Minister’s biological mother is languishing in abject poverty, living on selling tomatoes and vegetable.

She wakes up early in the morning at her home popularly known as PIM and walks long distances to sell tomatoes and vegetable in places like Nguludi Mission Hospital, among others.

The photos which have gone viral on social media have not been independently verified as a real mother of Kaliati and many Malawians commenting have challenged the vocal politican to come out in the open to deny if the woman in the picture is her mother.