If voted as Malawi’s seventh President, Alliance for Democracy (AFORD) leader Enock Chihana, says he will ban the sale of alcohol during working hours.
Chihana, a son to AFORD father and founder late Chakufwa, was speaking during party’s 30th anniversary celebrations in Mzuzu.
He suggested that, if voted into power during the 2025 presidential elections, will not allow drinking joints in the country to operate during working hours.
“I will not allow bars and bottle stores to be selling beer during working hours,” said Chihana, while suggesting that all drinking joints will be allowed to operate from 4 o’clock in the evening.
In 2009, a population survey for selected NCDs and their risk factors was conducted in Malawi, following WHO’s STEPwise (STEPS) protocol.
The survey found that 68.1% of Malawians aged 24 years or older were lifetime alcohol abstainers.
A 2012 field-based survey also found that 14.5% of Malawians (27.3% of men and 1.6% of women) aged 18 years or older drank alcohol in the 12 months preceding the survey.
The World Health Organization (WHO) advocates for the development of national policies with various interventions targeting reduction of harmful use of alcohol.
The interventions are prioritized for implementation based on such criteria as cost-effectiveness, fairness, feasibility of implementation, and political considerations.
