Vice President Mutale Nalumango says the new mixed-member proportional representation system is a crucial mechanism to boost female leadership.
Ms Nalumango states that currently women make up the majority of registered voters but represent just under 15 percent of parliamentarians.
The Vice President said this when she featured on a special edition of Diamond Television’s ‘This Day programme’ monitored by the media.
She lamented that despite women being the majority of the country’s population, they remain underrepresented in Parliament and other leadership positions.
She appealed to women to support female candidates during elections, saying women have demonstrated effective leadership in both public and private sectors.
The Vice President has regretted that some communities still hold negative perceptions about female leadership, a situation she said continues to hinder the election of more women into public office.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Nalumango assured that economic transformation remains one of the key priorities of the government.
She further said the government is implementing programmes aimed at creating employment opportunities, improving agricultural productivity, expanding digital connectivity, and increasing investment in the mining sector to stimulate economic growth.
On the Cyber Security and Cyber Crimes laws, Mrs. Nalumango said the legislation is intended to promote responsible use of digital platforms and protect citizens from abuse.
The laws should not be interpreted as instruments for suppressing freedom of expression but rather as measures to ensure that individuals do not use cyberspace to insult, defame or injure others,” she explained.
The Vice President warned that those found abusing cyber space will face the full force of the law, adding that assertions that the legislation was enacted to silence government critics are unfounded.
