A senior Zambian government official has stated that several political parties are asking prospective female candidates for sexual favors in exchange for selection ahead of the upcoming general election in August.
I am going to appeal to all female aspiring candidates to ensure that they record all these cases, Mainga Kabika, the civil service head of the gender office in the presidency, said.
She has encouraged women to document these instances but did not specify which political parties are implicated.
Zambia has a significant gender imbalance in national politics, with only about 15% of Members of Parliament being women. This under-representation is largely attributed to deep-rooted cultural and structural barriers, according to a statement from the president's office last year.
Kabika made her remarks while addressing a conference of state prosecutors, revealing that women have been reaching out to her regarding their experiences of being solicited for sexual favors in return for candidacy nomination.
I can confirm that I receive numerous messages; some are already on record... they report being asked for sexual favors in exchange for adoption [as candidates], which is unacceptable, she stated.
Beauty Katebe, who chairs the board of the Non-Governmental Gender Organisations Coordinating Council, expressed concern, noting that such practices are increasingly discouraging women from engaging in politics, particularly as candidates.
Many women have encountered what is termed 'sextortion' during the nomination process, she explained, urging victims to report these violations despite the sociocultural stigmas and biases that they often face.
Katebe emphasized the need for a fast-track court to handle such allegations and called for stricter laws to curtail sexual harassment, asserting that accountability will deter perpetrators.
Furthermore, she pointed out the impact of patriarchal norms within political parties on women's participation in politics.
In a previous gender disparity statement, the president's office had acknowledged improvements, with some high-profile female appointments, yet there remains considerable progress to be made, as evident from the low percentage of women in leadership roles.
With a general election scheduled for August 13, Zambians will be electing a president, Members of Parliament, councillors, and council chairs.
