Joyce Banda Calls for Electoral Reforms to Empower Women in Politics

Former President of Malawi, Joyce Banda, has expressed concern over the continued marginalization of women in the country’s political space, blaming societal attitudes that portray men as natural winners over women.

Speaking to our reporter, Banda, who is the only female among the 15 candidates who have so far collected nomination papers for the presidential race ahead of the September 16 General Elections, said many women are discouraged from contesting due to longstanding cultural stereotypes.

“There’s a saying that a female cow cannot pull a cart. Such mindsets are oppressive to women,” said Banda, who leads the People’s Party (PP).

She pointed out three key barriers that continue to hinder women’s participation in politics:

Cultural attitudes: Many people believe women are too weak to lead.

Financial limitations: Most women lack the resources to effectively compete with male counterparts in elections.

Harassment and intimidation: Women often face insults and bullying on the political campaign trail, making even the most capable women shy away from contesting.

Banda proposed that Malawi should consider adopting electoral models like that of Uganda, where certain parliamentary seats are reserved for women candidates only.

“This guarantees that when elections are held, the number of women represented in leadership positions is reasonable,” she said.

Banda, who served as Malawi’s president from 2012 to 2014, remains one of the country’s most prominent advocates for women’s empowerment in politics.