MEC CHAIRPERSON INSPIRES YOUTH POLITICAL LEADERSHIP AT UNIMA

In Malawi, the community of university students is recognized for the role they play in influencing voting patterns, and for the fact that they comprise the emerging generation of the country’s leadership. For this reason, political parties and other players in the country often try to establish footholds on university campuses. Recognizing the role of the students as voters and budding leaders, the Chairperson of the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC), Honorable Dr. Chifundo Kachale, travelled to the University of Malawi in Zomba on 11th May, 2024, where he delivered an insightful public lecture themed “Unlocking the Power Within: Youth for Future Leadership.”

During the function, which was held in the Great Hall, the Executive Dean of the School of Law, Economics, and Government, Professor Happy Kayuni, on behalf of the Vice Chancellor, welcomed the speaker. He observed the significance of the topic and reminded the audience that UNIMA is an institution with a rich legacy of political activism that has spurred critical chapters of the nation’s history, and individuals cannot discuss youth and politics in Malawi without acknowledging UNIMA’s pivotal role.

In his talk, Dr. Chifundo Kachale mentioned that across the globe, there is a growing recognition of the vital role of young people in shaping the political destiny of their societies. He continued by highlighting the attributes of youth that make them a rich pool of resources for effective political and social transformation, including youthful idealism, technological savviness, and physical and intellectual energy.

“By being innovative, the youth can approach today’s problems with the minds of today,” Kachale said. “The solutions of yesterday, devised by our forefathers, have brought us this far. It is rather naive to continue looking to the same sources to solve today’s problems. We need different remedies to move to the next level, and those remedies reside in the innovation capacity within our youth. Considering their population, the youth comprise around 52 percent of people in Malawi. Therefore, reaching the youth with the right messages means reaching almost half of the population of Malawi.”

Kachale highlighted the social vulnerabilities of the youth, such as their propensity to be naive and gullible due to a lack of exposure. Additionally, he noted that youth often exhibit impatience, leading to rushed decisions that may sabotage their future leadership potential. He urged the youth to conduct themselves productively during their youthful years and advised them that beyond technical proficiency, the quality of their leadership lies in their ethical values.

Commenting on the public lecture, Ms. Jane Kanyangale, a fourth-year public administration student, said “We are stakeholders in the political processes of the country, and the role we should be playing should not be one-sided. Instead, we should take a leading role and be able to demand change and bring it about. Nobody will take the required action unless we stand up and take action ourselves, so we should also be mindful of the activities we engage in as youth.” She observed that youths are agents of change, and that their focus should lie in their communities, being at the forefront of bringing solutions.

The discussion was interactive, with students seen asking various questions concerning the election process and what MEC is doing to encourage youth engagement in the voting process. Hon. Kachale addressed all questions asked by students, providing additional knowledge on topics students were previously unaware of. The function concluded with Hon. Kachale presenting gifts to Professor Happy Kayuni and Ms. Maureen Kapanga, who served as coordinator during the public lecture.