Muslim body against voting on religious grounds

Qadria Muslim Association of Malawi (Qmam) has advised people to stop discriminating against political candidates based on religious background.

Speaking in Balaka on Saturday when the organisation met widows to introduce a project to economically empower them, Qmam national vice- chairperson senior cleric (Mufti) Alhaj Mzee Mussa said religion does not make a person a good leader.

“The Quran talks about submitting to one God and respecting leaders, but does not say Muslims should vote into office Muslim aspirants only. We are all Malawians and remember good leaders come from God and not religion,” he said.

Mussa urged all Muslims in Malawi to take part in the May 21 2019 Tripartite Elections to elect leaders of their choice, but advised against being influenced by religion when voting.

“Qmam is also concerned with the plight of widows who are suffering because they cannot access soft loans for small-scale businesses and are living in deplorable conditions,” he said.

Vice-chairperson of Qadria Ulama Council, the highest council in Qmam, Sheik James Suleman, said with funding from Turkish donors, the organisation is economically empowering widows to do small-scale businesses. He said the group is also urging women to take part in the elections.

“We are urging all Muslims, especially women, to take part in politics by aspiring for political positions and voting,” he said.