Kalinde, few women sail through at PP convention
Minister of Gender and Child Development Anita Kalinde has retained her seat as Director of Political Affairs of ruling People’s Party (PP) during the convention held in Malawi’s commercial city, Blantyre on Monday.
Kalinde, who is also Member of Parliament for Thyolo North, joined PP when President Joyce Banda formed the party after being expelled from the then ruling DPP.
She was one of the front-line troops of the party. Kalinde went unopposed.
However, despite PP being led by Malawi’s first female Head of State, there were few female politicians who scooped positions at the party’s indaba.
Presidential advisor Clara Makungwa is another woman who sailed through after she was elected National Director of Women.
Ireen Chikuni , who served as advisor to president Bakili Muluzi, assumed the position of third secretary general unopposed.
Minister of Education, Eunice Kazembe, scooped the position of Deputy Director of National Strategic Planning.
Deputy minister of health Halima Daudi was elected first deputy treasurer general.
The convention would end on Tuesday where the party will continue to elect other office bearers.
The Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR) and the Centre for Development of the People (Cedep) have since hailed PP for holding a national convention.
CHRR executive director Undule Mwakasungula and his Cedep counterpart Gift Trapence said the convention was good for democracy so members can elect party leaders “without fear, favour or any intimidation.”
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