{{Malawi President Joyce Banda has picked her 37-year-old minister of Trade and Industry Sosten Gwengwe as running mate in the upcoming elections, sidelining current deputy Khumbo Kachali.}}<\/p>\n
President Banda said her decision to put the youthful minister on her ticket was a way of showing commitment to empowering and promoting the youth to take over the country’s leadership.<\/p>\n
She said she had prayed over her choice of running mate and had not doubt the youthful minister would deliver.<\/p>\n
The country needed both youth and experience at the helm, she said.<\/p>\n
“We say the youth are the leaders of tomorrow but this statement denies the youth their rightful role in participating in the development of the country [today],” she said.<\/p>\n
Malawi holds a general election on May 20.<\/p>\n
Mr Gwengwe will accompany President Banda on Friday to present her nomination papers in Blantyre, among the last of the candidates to do so.<\/p>\n
Conspicuously missing at the Thursday press conference that was Mr Kachali, but President Banda said she informed him of her decision to opt for another running mate.<\/p>\n
“I did not expect any reaction from him. I informed him of my decision and we hugged before he left,” she said.<\/p>\n
Media in Malawi on Thursday quoted Mr Kachali saying that if Mrs Banda din not nominate him as her running mate it would be a vote of no confidence in him.<\/p>\n
President Banda said the agreement with Mr Kachali in 2012 when she had ascended to power following President Bingu wa Mutharika’ s death was that he would only be her deputy for two years.<\/p>\n
{{‘Ridiculed’}}<\/p>\n
President Banda also said she had opted to nominate a youthful man against a woman because she is aware of how female leaders are ridiculed by Malawians in general.<\/p>\n
“I could have nominated a youthful female running mate but I know how female leaders are ridiculed in a society. I am one of the most ridiculed persons,” she said.<\/p>\n
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