Several Kasama residents on Saturday booed Patriotic Front (PF) Kasama Central member of Parliament (MP) Geoffrey Mwamba at Shoprite Checker’s outlet in Kasama.
This happened when Mr Mwamba who was in a hired taxi on his way to the Ukusefya Pa Ng’wena traditional ceremony.
Mr Mwamba was booed by onlookers when he passed near Shoprite with a fleet of hired taxis with drivers honking.
“He should be ashamed of his action, he is even raising his fist without shame,” one woman shouted.
Another woman said “There goes the MP who batters his wife why has he even come to Kasama when he has not sorted out his mess in Lusaka”.
And people talked to in Kasama central said they will wait for their MP to call for a meeting to discuss his problems.
“Since he has come to consult us, we shall wait for that meeting to be held otherwise we are disappointed with him as people who voted for him,” Mr Bernard Chanda said.
Mr Mwamba hired taxis to escort him from Kasama town to Mungwi to attend the Ukusefya Pa Ng’wena traditional ceremony.
And Mr Mwamba yesterday assured his constituents that he will continue to be their representative and carry on with development projects. This was during a meeting at Chambishi market in Kasama.
The electorate welcomed his decision not to resign his parliamentary seat. They also pledged to support him. And United Church of Zambia (UCZ) has advised Zambians not to vote for leaders who batter their wives because such individuals cannot be entrusted with the leadership of the nation.
UCZ Copperbelt Presbytery Bishop Sydney Sichilima said this during a blousing ceremony of 276 women Christian fellowship members in Ndola yesterday.
“Society should condemn leaders who batter their family members, particularly their wives. Let us not vote for such leaders because if they fail to lead their homes, they cannot lead the nation,” Bishop Sichilima said.
He said it is unfortunate that some political leaders and other leaders in society engage in shameful behaviour like wife battering.
Bishop Sichilima said it makes sad reading that a political leader battered his wife.
“Civic leaders and other leaders should be contributing to the integrity of women and not otherwise,” he said.
Bishop Sichilima said Zambia should fight any form of gender discrimination and that boys and girls should be raised in the same manner.
Bishop Sichilima was proud that the UCZ has been trying to take the lead in preaching gender sensitivity.
“Not only do women preach and give Holy Communion, I am proud to say that for the first time, a woman Reverend, Peggy Kabonde was this weekend elected as General Secretary of the UCZ synod for the first time in history,” Bishop Sichilima said.
He said it is unfortunate that some sections of society are trying to destroy the integrity of women.
Bishop Sichilima said it is sad that some young women are being displayed half naked in the print media.
He encouraged the women Christian fellowship members who were bloused to first seek the kingdom of God above material things.
“The blousing ceremony is a time of commissioning your work with God. This is the time that women decide to offer themselves to the ministry of women in the UCZ,” Bishop Sichilima said.
He said women all over the world play a significant role in building society and that they should not be looked down upon.
Bishop Sichilima said the church has for a long time now played a vital role in raising the status of women.
The 276 women Christian fellowship members were drawn from the Ndola north, Ndola south and Luanshya Consistories
[Zambia Daily Mail]