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A youth official in the United Party for National Development (UPND) has expressed concern over reports of alleged sextortion involving women seeking political office.
UPND Deputy National Youth Chairperson for Politics and Mobilisation, Trevor Mwiinde, said on Wednesday that women aspiring for leadership roles should not be associated with claims that their progress was linked to influential men.
Mwiinde said he supported gender equality and believed women should be recognised as equal participants in the political arena.
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“Zambia has resourceful women who in some instances are better placed and qualified than some men,” he said.
He urged aspiring female politicians to seek resources “in a decent manner” to avoid exploitation, adding that some actors did not always have their best interests at heart.
Mwiinde said the UPND government had helped expand women’s participation through the enactment of Bill 7, which he said strengthened opportunities for women to take up critical leadership positions.
He called for the establishment of mentorship and peer networks to help women support each other, share experiences and reduce vulnerabilities.
“Women can no longer be seen chanting slogans for their male counterparts but chanting slogans that pave the way for their own uptake of leadership,” he said.
Mwiinde added that women who had served in political roles should be recognised and honoured to encourage others to join leadership.
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