Federation of Disability Organisations in Malawi (FEDOMA) and the Department of Disability in the Ministry of Gender, Community Development, and Social Welfare have called on persons with disabilities to take part during the 2025 general elections.
This has been unveiled in an ongoing sensitisation campaign by FEDOMA to raise awareness so that persons with disabilities can take part in the electoral process.
FEDOMA Executive Director Simon Munde said the campaign underway will help persons with disabilities decide who is to lead or represent them at the local, parliamentary, and presidential level. “We encourage persons with disabilities not to base their votes on political affiliations but rather on candidates that are willing to help them once in office,” he said.
Munde further stated that FEDOMA is in talks with potential candidates with disabilities to ensure they are prepared for the polls.
“Persons with disabilities must contest for various positions at all levels, so we become part of the political decision-making processes to ensure all decisions made are disability-inclusive and sensitive, and as such, no person with a disability will be left behind,” he said.
In a separate interview, Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) Press Officer Richard Mveriwa said MEC has in place disability-inclusive initiatives to allow persons with disabilities ‘participation.
“Our messaging includes a component for people with disabilities, for example, our television messages have sign language interpretation, and we have tactile ballot papers for the blind,” he said.
Not less than 150 persons with disabilities participated in various capacities in the previous elections in which Overstone Kondowe was elected as Member of Parliament for Nkhotakota North East and other persons with disabilities who are currently serving as councillors across the country.
