Speaking during the opening of the two-day Women’s Participation in Politics Conference at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre, the Speaker said the continued exclusion of women during candidate adoption had become a concerning trend since the advent of multiparty democracy.
“Please, as the representatives of political parties, endeavor to at least adopt 30 percent of the women in your political parties as candidates,” Mutti said.
She stressed that meaningful participation of women in politics is essential for strengthening democratic governance and ensuring balanced national development.
Gender Division Permanent Secretary Mainga Kabika echoed the call and commended women who attended the conference for sponsoring themselves to participate.
“In proving that they are committed, they sponsored themselves to come here. Government didn’t sponsor them, civil society didn’t sponsor them, but they said it’s our time to rise and we will do it,” Kabika said.
Kabika noted that Zambia’s democracy would only reach its full potential when women participate fully, effectively and equally in shaping the country’s political, economic and social agenda.
“Zambia’s democracy can only attain its full potential when women participate fully, effectively and equally in shaping the political, economic and social destiny of our country,” she said.
Meanwhile, Beauty Katebe, chairperson of the NGO Coordinating Council, challenged claims that there are not enough women ready to contest elective positions, pointing to the strong turnout at the conference.
“When I walked in this room I was actually amazed with the number of women that I’m seeing, and there is on the ground the notion that there are no women to be adopted,” Katebe said.
She also urged the media to play a more active role in changing perceptions around women’s participation in politics.
“Ba media, you should report that women are there and they want to stand,” she said.
The conference comes amid renewed calls for increased female representation in elective positions as political parties prepare for the August 13, 2026 general elections.
30 percent only? Why? The population ratio is 51% female 49% male
Backward thinking and male insecurity
A female Grz would be far more for the people and for sure more reliable and less far less fingers in the till
The only thing no female traffic wardens they have a clue what they up to or doing
Why 30 percent? If you tell your school going child to aim for 30 percent you are grooming a failure.