Malawi Writers Union Sounds Alarm on Decline of Reading Culture

The Malawi Writers Union (MAWU) has expressed concern over the decline of reading culture in the country. This was revealed by MAWU Board Chairperson, Lawrence Kadzitche, during the unveiling of the 2025 short story writing competition in Lilongwe.

Kadzitche emphasized that the competition aims to promote new talent, increase visibility of writers, and revitalize the reading culture. "We hope to unearth new talent and skills, and increase visibility of writers and the union itself," he said.

The competition, open to writers in Malawi and the diaspora, will run from March 18 to May 31, with the theme "Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Mental Health." The award presentation is slated for July.

Kadzitche noted that the rise of AI has sparked fears across professions, but MAWU aims to promote a positive dialogue. MAWU President, Shadreck Chikoti, added that the union has lined up activities and workshops to build capacity of writers.

"We need to promote a community of writers that is vibrant in the literary space," Chikoti said. MAWU member and writer, Kondwani Sichali, praised the union's efforts, saying they will help raise awareness that AI is not a threat to development.

The competition features two categories: the Secondary School Students Category with a top prize of K300,000, and the General Category open to all Malawian writers, with a winner's prize of K1,000,000.