Preliminary Overview: Geography, Demography,

Malawi is a landlocked country in Sub- Saharan Africa. She shares boundaries with Zambia (to the Northwest), Tanzania (to the North and Northeast) and Mozambique (to the East, South and Southwest). The Republic of Malawi covers an area of 118,485 square kilometers of which 94,276 square kilometers are land. [1] Muslims occupy well above a third of the total area.

The population is estimated at 13.1 million according to the 2008 Population and Housing census. [2]  Nationally, for every 95 males, there are 100 females, and this safely extrapolates for the Muslims. [3]   The census also revealed a median age range of 17 years.

1. Muslim Population

Muslims constitute the second largest religious grouping in Malawi with Christianity, viewed as a block consisting of different denominations, being the largest. According to the 2008 Population and Housing Census, Muslims constitute 13% or 1.7 million of the population as compared to 83% or 10.7 million reported for Christians. [4]

However it is important to mention that the general Muslim population has protested against the figures as an underrepresentation of the correct population of Muslims in Malawi. In addition to such protest, the African Muslim Schools Association, the only religious organization that mounted a nationwide sensitization campaign calling for all Muslims to present themselves for the counting met the National Statistics Office, the government body responsible for the counting to get a full understanding of the development. The meeting took place between a delegation from African Muslim Schools Association and Muslim Association of Malawi on one hand and the deputy commissioner of statistics from the government side. The government conceded the fact that there were a number of flaws during the counting which indeed might have led to the underreporting of the Muslim figures. However, the most encouraging aspect was the offer made by the deputy commissioner to assist Muslims in undertaking their own census or survey at any point in the future with the hope to correct all possible anomalies. This task can only be made possible with technical and financial assistance by Muslim well-wishers.

The country is divided into three regions: Northern, Central, and Southern regions. There are 28 districts, six in the Northern Region, nine in the Central region and thirteen in the Southern Region. [5] Muslims are largely concentrated in the Southern Region with a strong presence in 10 of the 28 districts and at least some presence in all the districts of the country. Out of the 10 districts that register strong Muslim presence, 8 are in the southern region and two in the central region of the country.

In terms of urban and rural presence, the safe estimates would be in line with the national figures which register 13% in the urban and 87% in the rural areas.

Economically, Malawi is one of the poorest countries in the world. She is a predominantly agricultural economy and according to the 2008 Malawi Population and Housing Census, about 8% live in the rural areas as compared to 15% living in the urban areas. Unfortunately, the census report did not analyze the distribution of Muslims living in the urban as compared to the rural areas. However, a wild estimate indicates more than 90% of the population leaving in the rural areas. There is nonetheless a need, with the technical and financial help by well wishers, to come up with a scientific figure of the urban-rural distribution of Muslims across Malawi.

2. Main Exports

The country’s main export commodities are Tobacco, tea and sugar. [6] However, with the current on-going global anti-smoking lobby, this leaves Malawi with only tea and sugar as the most reliable cash crops. Although these crops are also grown in Muslim populated areas, namely the southern region, they are largely grown on commercial and large scale levels often by foreign investors. Muslims, who are largely rural based, do not own any of these plantations, a fact which makes them most disadvantaged economically.

3.  Political Landscape

Politically, the country was under British rule from 1891 until July, 1964 under the name Nyasaland Protectorate. In 1953, the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland was created, which consisted of three countries: Zimbabwe (Then Southern Rhodesia), Zambia (then Northern Rhodesia) and Malawi (then Nyasaland). In July 1964, the country became the Independent State of Malawi and gained the republican status in July 1966. In 1994, Malawi became a multiparty state with three main parties, [7] the United Democratic Front (UDF), Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and Alliance for Democracy (AFORD). Today, Malawi has a total of 32 registered parties.

It is worthwhile noting here that the first president under the multiparty system of government in Malawi who ruled for two consecutive terms, from 1994 to 2004 was a Muslim, by the name of Bakili Muluzi. The incumbent president is a catholic and has since spent one five-year term and 1st year in the second term which is the current one.

The above overview presents a baseline appreciation of facts about Malawi which will help us better understand the various mundane challenges Muslims face as outlined in the ensuing section.

[1] Welfare and Monitoring Survey, 2005 – www.nso.malawi.net/

[2] Ibid

[3] Ibid

[4] Ibid

[5] Ibid

[6] Ibid

[7] Ibid

Challenges Facing Muslims in Malawi