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The Non-governmental Gender Organisations Coordinating Council (NGOCC) has urged all political parties in Zambia to strictly enforce “zero tolerance” policies against Violence Against Women in Elections (VAWiE) and sexist campaigning within their structures.
The women’s rights organisation has also called on the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) to closely monitor and sanction individuals or media platforms that use discriminatory language in violation of the Electoral Code of Conduct.
NGOCC Board Chairperson, Beauty Katebe, issued the call in a statement released in Lusaka on Tuesday, as she condemned remarks published on Simon Mwewa Lane Television on 9 January 2026, suggesting that a single woman was “unworkable” for the office of Mayor and that the position should be reserved for a “family man.”
Katebe demanded an immediate retraction of what she described as a “harmful” statement by Simon Mwewa, urging the platform to commit to a more inclusive and respectful political discourse.
“Such statements are not merely ‘political opinions’; they are a direct assault on the spirit of the Zambian Constitution and the Gender Equity and Equality Act No. 22 of 2015,” she said.
She added that using marital status as a measure of leadership suitability perpetuated a dangerous culture of Violence Against Women in Elections and further polarises the political space.
Katebe encouraged the Zambian public to reject leaders who promoted division and discrimination, emphasising that leadership in Lusaka or anywhere in Zambia was defined by a person’s vision, integrity, and competence—not their marital status.
“As Zambia moves toward the August 13, 2026, General Elections, the use of sexist remarks serves one purpose: to intimidate women and discourage them from seeking high-level Presidential, Parliamentary, and Local Authority seats,” she said.
She stressed that Zambians should reject sexist attacks designed to shrink the civic space for women ahead of the 2026 elections.
“When women’s professional confidence is judged against their private life, a standard never applied to men, it amounts to psychological violence,” Katebe said.
She noted that such rhetoric undermined democracy by implying that leadership for half the population was conditional and fuels harassment, emboldening online misogynists to attack female candidates on personal grounds rather than their political programmes.
“Genuine gender balance is about fair representation, not reinforcement of patriarchal stereotypes. No candidate should be targeted for their gender or personal life. The leadership of a woman is not a threat to the family or the nation; it is an asset,” Katebe added.
She further urged the public to report all forms of violence—verbal, psychological, physical, including electoral violence—without delay.
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