When Dorothy Chikonje stood atop an open vehicle during former President Lazarus Chakwera’s whistle-stop tour at Dwambazi and Dwangwa markets, few believed Nkhotakota Dwangwa Constituency was ready to elect a woman to Parliament. But when official results were announced by the Malawi Electoral Commission Chairperson Justice Annabel Mtalimanja, history was rewritten as the constituency, long dominated by men, had chosen a woman to represent it in Parliament.
The constituency, formerly known as Nkhotakota North, has seen little or no female representation over the years. For the past six elections since 1994, only male candidates had won. But this year, Chikonje contesting for the first time under the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) defeated fellow woman candidate Victoria Peterkins Phiri and three men, marking a historic victory.
At the same time, the district also witnessed the return of Grelzedar Jeffrey, who reclaimed her seat in Nkhotakota Chia Constituency after previously serving between 2014 and 2019, when the area was known as Nkhotakota South East.
Since Malawi’s first multiparty elections in 1994, Nkhotakota has consistently reflected the national struggle for women’s representation in politics. Data from the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) shows that in 1994, all five constituencies namely Nkhotakota North, North East, Central, South East, and South, had no female candidates. According to Women in Politics in Malawi by CMI, only ten women across the entire nation made it to Parliament that year.
In 1999, only one woman, Martha Lunji Chanjo, contested in Nkhotakota North East but did not make it to Parliament. It wasn’t until 2004 that history was made when Annie Chingoka Chipwaila defeated her fellow candidate Lunji Chanjo in Nkhotakota North east constituency to become the first female MP from the district. Momentum slowly grew.
In 2014, both Martha Lunji Chanjo and Grelzedar Jeffrey were elected as members of parliament for Nkhotakota North east and south east respectively, marking a new era for the district. For Jeffrey she only served her five yer term and in 2019 election she was replaced by a male candidate Branex Kaisi while Chanjo made it to her second term. However, Lunji Chanjo’s died in 2021 and the by-election that were held in the area replaced her with a male MP, leaving Nkhotakota once again with no female representation in Parliament.
That changed in the 2025 elections, which saw an encouraging number of women participating with eleven female candidates across all constituencies, with two, Dorothy Chikonje and Grelzedar Jeffrey, winning parliamentary seats. For Chikonje, the campaign period was a “mixed bag” marked by both support and resistance.
“One of the challenges I encountered is that most women do not like to support other women,” she said. “However, that did not hold me back as I kept campaigning, hoping things would turn in my favor.” Her campaign focused on solving water challenges that mainly affect women and improving access to business loans for women and youth.
Nkhotakota District Malawi Congress Party (MCP) Chairperson Fredrick Kachembwe says the victory symbolizes the party’s commitment to empowering women.
“As MCP, we are proud that for the first time, two women who contested under MCP banner have managed to win. We will continue supporting women who show interest to contest,” said Kachembwe.
The National Initiative for Civic Education (NICE) played a key role in encouraging female participation. Nkhotakota NICE Program Officer Helen Mwimba applauded the collaboration between NICE, the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP), and the Centre for Civil Society Strengthening (CCSS) for inspiring voter confidence in women candidates.
“We are proud that our advocacy contributed to this progress,” said Mwimba. “But we urge the new MPs to engage local structures, be transparent, and deliver on their promises.” She added that NICE will continue advocating for women’s inclusion in decision-making spaces beyond Parliament.
From the youth perspective, Jonathan Sandram, a member of the Nkhotakota District Youth Network from Dwangwa, says empowering women benefits everyone. “To me, whether it is a woman or a man, what matters is that the person should be able to deliver according to the needs of the people,” he said.
Political and governance expert Ceaser Kondowe commends the progress made, saying the women’s victory in Nkhotakota reflects the success of initiatives such as the 50:50 Campaign that aim to close the gender gap in leadership. “The courage shown by these women is inspiring,” Kondowe said. “Their success shows that Malawi is moving in the right direction toward inclusive representation.”
He further notes that Malawi’s efforts align with the SADC Protocol on Gender and Development, which calls for at least 50 percent representation of women in decision-making positions. Malawi is also a signatory to the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and has domesticated key principles through the Gender Equality Act of 2013, which promotes equal participation in public and political life.
As the newly elected MPs prepare to be sworn in at Parliament in Lilongwe later this month, their victory marks more than personal triumphs it is a step forward for Malawi’s democracy.
Nkhotakota’s two female parliamentarians have broken barriers that stood for decades, signaling a slow but steady shift in attitudes toward women in leadership. Their success not only echoes Malawi’s Vision 2063 goal of achieving gender equality but also demonstrates that when women rise, entire communities move forward.
In the words of a smiling voter at Dwangwa Market, “We wanted change and this time, it came with a woman’s voice.”
