By Burnett Munthali
The women’s director of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in the Southern Region, Maria Mainja, has voiced her concerns over the severe economic challenges that women in Malawi have faced during the five-year rule of the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) government.
Speaking at a rally organized by the party’s Southern Region vice president, Joseph Mwanamvekha, and influential party member Sameer Suleman, Mainja highlighted the growing struggles women face in sustaining their small-scale businesses.
She noted that the sharp rise in the prices of essential goods, such as maize and cooking oil, has drastically affected women entrepreneurs. According to Mainja, many women who previously relied on small-scale trading to feed their families and educate their children can no longer afford the cost of goods needed for their businesses.
Mainja criticized the MCP-led administration for failing to address the escalating cost of living, which has left many women in financial distress. She emphasized that the economic policies of the current government have not favored grassroots business owners, particularly women in rural and urban trading centers who form the backbone of Malawi’s informal economy.
She further warned that if these economic challenges are not addressed, more women will be pushed into poverty, reversing the gains that were made in women’s economic empowerment during previous administrations.
The rally at Lonolo ground, held in BCA, Blantyre, was part of the DPP’s ongoing campaign to reconnect with grassroots supporters ahead of the upcoming elections. Both Mwanamvekha and Suleman also took turns to address the gathering, urging Malawians to demand change and hold the MCP government accountable for its economic failures.
