Malawi's youth battles for political inclusion

Malawi, a southern Africa nation of 21 million people, will hold elections on September 16.

With more than half of Malawi's population under the age of 35, the question of youth inclusion in politics has been drawing growing attention. During the 2019 elections, 54% of registered voters were between 18 and 35, according to the Commonwealth Observer Group and Malawi Electoral Commission records.

New seats, fresh hope?

A recent constituency redemarcation exercise added 35 new seats to the previous 193, bringing the total to 228. The expansion has sparked fresh interest among young people to join active politics, amid growing unemployment and the ongoing global cost of living crisis.

But as random interviews reveal, youthful entrants are meeting mixed fortunes. While some have successfully launched their careers, others say that talk of youth empowerment is often empty rhetoric in parties, where older leaders still influence candidate selection.

At 32, Ivy Sande, a former ward councilor, has the will, energy, education and passion that many voters say they want in their parliamentary representatives.

But after months of moving from village to village rallying support for her candidacy for office, she's confronting a hard truth: breaking into Malawi's politics isn't just about fresh ideas. It means navigating party structures still dominated by well-connected old guards.

"I realized someone had already been endorsed. It's like the decision was made before I even stood up so I left," she claimed.

Youth should 'influence key decisions'

According to Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmaker Fyness Magonjwa, Malawi's youngest parliamentarian, her maiden five-year term in office has been marked by strong support from both her party and constituents. She remains upbeat about retaining her seat in September's elections.

She also urged her fellow youth not to settle for being used by political parties for menial tasks, but instead to aim for positions where they can influence key decisions.

"I've been fortunate to have the support of my party and the people I represent, and I believe I'll return to Parliament in 2025. But parties must do more to create space for young people, not just as foot soldiers, but as decision-makers," Magonjwa said.

Chimwemwe Tsitsi, a political scientist at the Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences (MUBAS), believes the status quo will persist unless political parties make deliberate efforts to create fair competition.

Tsitsi emphasizes that youth entering politics must come prepared with a solid strategy rather than expecting success based on age or special consideration.

He stresses that facing competition is a necessary part of political maturity and socialization.

While parties should create a fair playing field, they must avoid handpicking candidates, he said, adding that parties should institutionalize transparent procedures for primaries.

Ultimately, Tsitsi says, electoral success depends on voters' choices, and that's the essence of democracy.

"Young people shouldn't expect sympathy votes just because they're youth. Politics demands strategy, resilience, and readiness to compete," said Tsitsi.

"Parties must ensure a fair process, but at the end of the day, success depends on the people's choice — that's democracy."

Structural exclusion and cultural resistance

However, Charles Kajoloweka, executive director of Youth and Society, a human rights NGO, argues that Malawi's political system structurally excludes young people long before they reach national politics.

Kajoloweka identifies several barriers to young people, including the absence of youth-inclusive policies within political parties, the high financial cost of participating in elections, society's resistance to new and youthful political actors, and the lack of investment in leadership training and mentorship for young aspirants.

He also criticizes the failure to implement national youth policies meaningfully and highlights a lack of donor support for political parties to build youth leadership structures. Kajoloweka calls for intentional intergenerational programs and investment in youth capacity-building, warning that without these, Malawi's political future risks stagnation.

"Malawi's politics will remain empty of innovation and real progress if we keep sidelining the youth. Political parties lack clear policies for youth inclusion, elections are too expensive for young aspirants, and there's little to no investment in building their leadership capacity," said Kajoloweka.

"Empowerment talk means nothing without structural reform and intentional mentorship."

Political analyst Sainala Kalebe links youth exclusion in politics to deep-rooted cultural beliefs, citing Afrobarometer data that shows most Malawians still prefer to follow the wisdom of elders.

She noted that young people are often confined to symbolic roles like dancing at rallies instead of being groomed for substantive leadership within political parties.

Will youth break through?

Kalebe argues for a 50% youth representation across institutions including parties, government, judiciary and security forces to reflect the country's demographic reality.

She stressed that beyond rhetoric, real empowerment must come through deliberate legislation and capacity-building. However, she also challenges young people to educate themselves, engage meaningfully, and view politics as a long-term commitment.

"What we're seeing now is a lot of symbolic representation of youth, but what we want is substantive representation where the voice of young people is actually heard, not just seated at the table," says Kalebe.

With just three months to the polls, many youthful aspirants are now at a crossroads. Internal party politics are forcing them to make tough choices, either break away and contest as independents, an increasingly popular route in recent years or bow out entirely.

For Ivy, quitting isn't an option. She has defected to the Peoples Party of the country's former president Joyce Banda.

"My people believe in me, and I can't walk away from that. I'll still stand for them," she insisted.

Edited by: Keith Walker