Minister of Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare, Mary Navicha has praised women who attended pro-Ansah march in Blantyre on Wednesday saying the march was peaceful.

The Minister said women have done this knowing that violence has the potential to destroy the country.

“I know how painful it feels to remain calm while hate and violence attack our fellow woman, Jane Ansah. I know how painful it feels to remain calm and watch while others call women several insulting names.

“But I also know how proud it feels to withstand temptations of evil and stand up to your principles. I know how good it feels to be victorious in the end. Time has ended for civil society organization leaders and other politicians to take women for granted,” said Navicha.

The Minister insisted that the women march had nothing to do with politics but rather to protect their fellow woman whom she say is being victimized for doing her work in the just ended May, 2019 tripartite elections.

She added: “Thanks to Forum for Concerned Women for conducting the march. As women of Malawi, we know that those calling for Dr Jane Ansah’s resignation are doing so because she is a woman.

Seodi White, Chairperson for Forum for concerned women said the grouping has fulfilled its aim and expects peace to prevail in the country at all cost saying harassment towards Dr Jane Ansah and all Malawian women must stop forthwith.

White said as a human rights activist, she will not allow any woman to suffer at the expense of being a woman adding it is worrisome that some people with evil minds are slowly taking back this country where it was experiencing a lot of gender based violence cases.

One of the women who attended the march, Elizabeth Gama from Phalombe said she was happy to be among several women who marched.