Female contestants for the May 21 2019 tripartite elections in Mangochi District have commended the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP), Mangochi Diocese for engaging them in debates, saying this will give them a chance to date voters and sell their manifestos.
The women said this on Friday at Monkey-Bay Constituency in the district when CCJP roped them in a heated debate to let them articulate what they are expecting to do to the electorate if they are to entrust them with votes.
Speaking in an interview after the debate, one of the contestants, Enesia Kanyamula, independent who is vying for the position of MP, described the debate as a rare opportunity that will give the women edge to market themselves to the electorate.
“We are extending a thank you to CCJP for according us this platform where we can meet the voters and tell them what we have in store for them,” she remarked
Kanyamula said the debate is one of the crucial platforms the women have been yearning for from organizations championing 50/50 campaigns and electoral stakeholders.
“We hope other organizations will borrow a leaf from CCJP to move across the district and support us in various ways during this campaign because we are failing to reach our voters due to limited resources,” she appealed.
In his remarks, CCJP diocesan secretary for Mangochi Bruno Banda said with financial support from United Nations Women they will organize debates and campaign for the women, among other support as one way of helping the women win the elections.
“It is the aim of CCJP to help the female aspirants to sell their manifestos to the voters through different platforms,” he revealed.
He added that they are also creating an opportunity of allowing people in the communities particularly voters to hear the ideas of candidates so that they may decide the right candidate.
