• Women for Change urges parliament to enact a law to compel parties to adopt 50 percent women.
• Political parties have failed to adopt 50 percent women in previous polls.
• Five women express interest to contest for Mongu Central parliamentary seat.
Women for Change has called on parliament to enact a law that will compel political parties to implement the 50 percent gender parity when adopting candidates for the 2021 general elections.
In an interview with Money FM News, organization Executive Director, Lunga Siyanga said leaving political parties to adopt female candidates on their own will take the country many years to achieve SADC’s 50 percent women’s representation in parliament.
‘‘Despite the constitution advocating for non discrimination of women participation in politics, there are alot of barriers that hinder women in political parties,’’ she said.
‘‘Therefore, they should be a law that specifically compels political parties to adopt women in line with the 50-50 representation.’’
Ms. Siyanga observed that political parties in 2016 failed to adopt women, especially in their strongholds, despite promising to implement t gender parity in their adoption process.
Meanwhile, Ms. Siyanga said her organization is elated that up to five women have expressed interest to contest for the Mongu Central Parliamentary seat in the 2021 elections.
‘‘We have also seen alot of women who want to contest in the general elections flock to our offices and those of Women’s lobby asking for support,’’ Ms. Siyanga said.
She noted that women are capable of winning parliamentary seats in the August polls if they are given the much needed support.