The Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) in the Diocese of Zomba has called on traditional leaders and religious figures to encourage their communities to understand the importance of voting in the upcoming tripartite elections scheduled for September 16 this year.
Rhoda Ng’ambi, the Assistant Project Officer for CCJP in the Diocese of Zomba, made the appeal in the area of Senior Chief Chikowi while engaging with traditional leaders and religious figures as part of a voter education initiative supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Ng’ambi emphasised that traditional leaders and clergy are influential in their communities and that people are more likely to listen and act when messages come through them, hence the need for the CCJP to work through these local leaders to spread awareness.
She also highlighted that people living with disabilities, such as those with mobility challenges, the visually impaired, or individuals with albinism, have the same right to vote and must be included in the electoral process and receive voter education messages.
“It is wrong to mislead a person with a disability, especially the blind, about who they should vote for. It is equally wrong to deceive them about the candidates.” She said.
In his remarks, Group Village Head Kazembe 2 thanked CCJP for introducing the topic of elections at an appropriate time, aligning with the Malawi Electoral Commission’s (MEC) official launch of the campaign period.
GVH Kazembe 2 said he and fellow traditional leaders are committed to sensitising their communities on the importance of voting in the September 16 elections.
He also warned politicians to avoid using campaign rallies as platforms to insult rivals from other parties, as this could incite political violence.
Meanwhile, Bishop Charles Maluwa of the Bible Faith Church stated that he is encouraging his church members to vote in the upcoming election.
He added that everyone has the right to vote and urged his congregation to refrain from political violence so that the election can take place peacefully and in a calm atmosphere.
