NGOCC excited by the appointment of ten women on three water utilities boards

The Non-governmental Gender Organisations’ Coordinating Council (NGOCC) is excited by the appointment of ten women on three water utilities boards unveiled by Minister of Water Development and Sanitation Mike Mposha.

Mr. Mposha on Wednesday unveiled new boards for the National Water Supply and Sanitation Council (NWASCO), Kafubu Water and Sanitation Company plus Lusaka Water and Sanitation Company.

The seven member NWASCO board has Ms. Lillian Mambwe Mutesu, Ms. Malama G Kasalwe and Ms. Naomi Banda Nguni as female members.

The Lusaka Water board has four female and four males with the Kafubu Water board having three female out of eight members.

In a media statement, NGOCC Board Chairperson Mary S. Mulenga said it was gratifying to note that Mr. Mposha has constituted gender balanced boards for the three water entities.

“The Non-governmental Gender Organisations’ Coordinating Council (NGOCC) commends the Minister of Water Development and Sanitation for the appointment of gender balanced Boards for the National Water Supply and Sanitation Council (NWASCO), Lusaka Water Supply and Sanitation Company (LWSC) and Kafubu Water Supply and Sanitation Company. On Wednesday, 5th January 2022 the Minister of Water Development and Sanitation, Hon. Mike Mposha announced the appointment of Board Members for the utility companies which includes both women and men drawn from diverse backgrounds,” she said.

“The balanced composition of the Boards is in line with the Republican Constitutional provision in Article 259 of the Republican Constitution, which requires appointing authorities to always ensure gender balance in all appointments. We are therefore elated that the Minister is abiding by the dictates of the Constitution which is a step in the right direction,” Ms. Mulenga stated.

Ms. Mulenga said gender balance on various boards will be complemented with the move to give women opportunities to ascend to positions of chairing the said Boards.

She said it is important to note that women also possess the capabilities and the required skills to provide strategic leadership at all levels of the decision-making.

“It is NGOCC’s observation that, going forward, this positive step in ensuring gender balance on various Boards will be complemented with the move to give women opportunities to also ascend to positions of chairing the said Boards. It is important to note that women also possess the capabilities and the required skills to provide strategic leadership at all levels of the decision-making strata,” she said.

Ms. Mulenga said the NGOCC was confident that the women appointed to sit on the three boards would excel.

“On behalf of NGOCC and indeed the women’s movement, we take this opportunity to congratulate all the women that have been appointed to sit on these Boards for the water utility companies. We have no doubt that they will provide the necessary leadership in this very critical sector. As it is said, water is life and therefore the provision of clean and quality water to all citizens is not only a must but a fundamental responsibility in Government guaranteeing citizen’s enjoyment of their human rights,” she said.

Ms. Mulenga implored other Ministers to emulate their Water Development counterpart when it comes to gender responsiveness.

“We call upon other Ministers and appointing authorities to emulate the gender responsiveness in the way the Ministry of Water Development and Sanitation has reconstituted the three Boards,” she said.

Ms. Mulenga said gender mainstreaming at all levels is no longer negotiable and further called for the operationalization of the Gender Equality Commission by the New Dawn Government.

“Gender mainstreaming at all levels is no longer negotiable but a development imperative. It is against this background that we look forward to the operationalization of the Gender Equality Commission by the New Dawn administration to ensure effective gender mainstreaming in all sectors,” she said.