Malawi: First time voters excited

  1. Posted on Friday 22 May 2009 - 12:33
    Harry
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    Harry Mangulenje, AfricaNews reporter in Blantyre, Malawi
    Most of the young people of Malawi who voted for the first time after turning 18 years said they were enthralled for being part of the national decision to elect a new government which will run for the next five years.
    voting
    They said in separate interviews in Blantyre that the elections have been a time mark to their age and they now feel being part of the decision making process in the country. President Bingu Wa Mutharika won the elections with a commanding majority.

    Ronald Chikwakwa, a young voter speaking after casting his ballot at Misesa last Tuesday said he was happy to believe that the results being announced comprise his ballot. He said it is a success to be part of national consensus deciding who should win and who should lose as this determines the future of the country.

    “I can say apart from voting to elect a member of parliament for our area and the new President, the exercise meant a lot to me because it means I am no longer a kid,” said Chikwakwa who is also a budding musician.
    Another new voter Cecilia Colleen at Blantyre Youth Centre (BYC) polling station said she felt like the voting exercise should go on and on. “I feel like we should be voting every year, I enjoyed the campaign, the scandalous speeches, the queuing and the process of examining the candidates as well as the ticking of a personal choice base on personal impression,” she said.

    Director of Youth Activists Initiative Tony Khanyepa commenting on the whole exercise said he was impressed that the youths came out in their numbers to vote candidates of their choice. He however asked the new parliament to consider pushing for the creation of a youth committee in parliament.

    “There are many committees in parliament, such as legal affairs, women caucus; children committee why not the youth committee? We want the new parliament to come up with a full fledged youth committee which could be promoting the plights of young people in the country,” said Khanyepa.

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