I believe I can make an impact and influence change in the lives of the downtrodden, and help ameliorate the sufferings of the needy in the State, not because that I want to enrich myself through political process.

My primary responsibility is to my constituency, where I've successfully lobbied for development. I've also made significant contributions in raising awareness of gender issues within the community.

I changed the narrative and became the exception. Driven by a strong conviction to create impact at the grassroots by focusing on local homegrown solutions to environmental challenges or problems in the community.

I've done a lot of work in terms of outreach but I've done it because it was the right thing to do. Good policy makes good politics and what I've done has been good politics.

I want to affect change. I like to advocate. I like to influence legislative change, and I have helped pass more than 10 laws.

I never thought I would be in politics. My plan was just to work in government– doing the work, making things and places more beautiful, bringing programs to kids. I always loved young people, and I hit a wall when I realized that you can have the most wonderful data-backed strategies and even bring opportunities, but if policymakers don’t have a vision or they don’t want to implement it, then they’ll never make it to the hands of people. That’s how I started looking at politics, as a way to impact change.

I am not a natural politician, in case you haven’t noticed, like my husband or President Obama. So I have a view that I just have to do the best I can, get the results I can, make a difference in people’s lives, and hope that people see that I’m fighting for them and that I can improve conditions economically and other ways that will benefit them and their families.

Probably that I tried to make a difference in people's lives. That's what I came down here to do.

It has been very rewarding and fulfilling in the sense that as a woman myself and one who has always been at the forefront of ensuring the welfare of women, it was not a new terrain for me to listen and proffer solutions to the myriad of issues bedevilling Nigerian women, using the instruments of government. Looking back, I would say we were able to make remarkable progress and I am satisfied with what the government has been able to achieve under my watch.

All my twenty years experience of defense, freedom and human rights shows me that common people have a much greater impact than they can even imagine. And massive mobilisation of the common people can change the world history quicker than UN intervention.

Governance is my passion and for me, it’s an opportunity to serve. MTN is a listed company and I have worked in the capital markets area for a very long time and so it’s an opportunity to make a real contribution.

People say I am powerful but I care more about impactful – in the work I do with children, adolescents, women or even institutions. Those who observe can say, ‘you are powerful,’ but it doesn’t come from me to say I am powerful.

As an experienced politician, I am passionate to save the people of my constituency including the nation of Malawi as a whole, and give the people all the attention, so that they get all the development and needs that they deserve.