Africa-Press – Zambia. Vice President Mutale Nalumango has said that unwarranted attacks on female politicians from online users should not be condoned. Mrs. Nalumango said that cyberbullying on female political Leaders sometimes by users who could be young enough to be their children must be curtailed as it has the potential to discourage women participation in politics.
She said that it is disheartening to witness the amount of cyberbullying and hate speech against women to which she has been a victim. Mrs. Nalumango says it is gratifying to note that some work around a legal framework to address online violence has already began.
The Vice President said this in a speech read on her behalf by Information and Media Minister Chushi Kasanda during the 2021 National Women Councillors Conference organized by the Zambia National Women’s Lobby in Lusaka today.
Mrs. Nalumango said women should constitute the larger percentage of leaders at local government. She further said the involvement of women in leadership at the local government level also promotes greater responsiveness to citizens’ needs.
Meanwhile, Non-Governmental Gender Organisation Coordinating Council Board Chairperson Mary Mulenga said there is a need to address the challenges to meet service delivery expectations.
And Zambia National Women’s Lobby Chairperson Daisy Ngambi said the Conference is meant to equip the councilors and interrogate how problems of cyberbullying will be addressed.
Speaking at the Same Event, Finnish Ambassador to Zambia Pirjo Suomela Chowdhury said women in politics face a lot of challenges that they should not have both online and in the physical space.
Meanwhile, Lusaka Deputy Mayor Ketty NanyangweE said it is sad that number of councilors in the last elections dropped from 8 to 7 percent, while at the parliamentary level representation dropped from 18 to 13 percent.
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