Gender network delighted with elevation and installation of Malawi’s first female Paramount Chief
NGO Gender Coordination Network (NGO-GCN) has commended President Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera for making Malawi have the first female Paramount Chief following his elevating of Senior Chief Kaduya of Phalombe District—whose name is Stella Munyama—to Paramount Chief of the Lhomwe people.
NGO-GCN—a network of 54 NGOs promoting gender equality and equity and women empowerment—said this in a statement jointly signed by its Acting Coordinator Maryrose Simbeye and Board Chairperson Maggie K. Banda.
“Paramount Chief Kaduya becomes the first woman to rise to this highest cultural status in the country.
“We believe the president will continue to uphold 60/40 gender quota in all his public appointments and recruitments in line with Section 11 of the Gender Equality Act (2013),” the statement reads in part.
President Chakwera installed Paramount Chief Kaduya on Thursday at Mpasa Primary School in Phalombe, where he earned unusual praise from the Mulhako Wa Alhomwe, a cultural group for the Lhomwe people.
Kaduya ascends to the throne following the death of Paramount Chief Ngolongoliwa five years ago.
The NGO-GCN, therefore, says it wishes the new Paramount Chief a successful tenure of office, urging her to show a spirit of dedication and selflessness.
“Among other things, we expect her to be championing the gender agenda and national development. The Network is available to support the Paramount Chief in championing national causes,” the statement further reads.
NGO–GCN works through five thematic areas based on established Permanent Committees and these are: Women in Politics and Decision Making (WPDM), Child Rights (CR), Gender Based Violence (GBV), Gender Related Laws (GRL) and Agriculture and Economic Empowerment for Women (AEEW).
