Group bemoans Tasila’s sack as Member of Parliament, warns of worsening female underrepresentation

The Non-governmental Gender Organisations’ Coordinating Council (NGOCC) has expressed sadness over the nullification of the Chawama Constituency seat previously held by Tasila Lungu, daughter of the late President Edgar Lungu.

The development follows Speaker of the National Assembly Nelly Mutti’s declaration of the seat as vacant after Members of Parliament voted to invoke Article 72(2)(c) of the Constitution of Zambia.

NGOCC Board Chairperson, Beauty Katebe, described the decision as a major setback for women’s representation in Parliament, noting that the country has long struggled to reach meaningful female participation in legislative leadership.

Katebe noted that throughout Zambia’s history, female representation in Parliament had never surpassed 18 percent, and since the approximately 15 percent recorded in the 2021 elections, the numbers have continued to decline.

She said the nullification of the Chawama seat “yet again, exacerbates the historical challenges of female representation in Parliament.”

“NGOCC is fully cognizant of the circumstances that have led to this unfortunate outcome,” she stated, adding that the organisation had consistently advocated for an amicable solution to the burial of the Sixth Republican President, Edgar Lungu.

Read More: Speaker declares ex-president Lungu’s daughter, Tasila’s Chawama seat vacant after prolonged absence

Katebe said the long-standing burial impasse had hindered Tasila’s ability to effectively perform her duties as a Member of Parliament, ultimately contributing to the loss of one of the few seats held by women.

“As stipulated in Article 72(8) of the Constitution, the Speaker has since commenced the process of notifying the Electoral Commission of Zambia of this vacancy and the subsequent by-election,” she noted.

Katebe urged political parties to seize the opportunity to demonstrate genuine commitment to increasing female leadership by adopting female candidates for the upcoming Chawama by-election. She stressed that political parties must show readiness to empower women and avoid reducing inclusion efforts to “mere tokenism.”

Speaker Mutti declared the Chawama seat vacant following a vote by Members of Parliament, citing Article 72(2)(c), in line with a resolution of the House to invoke Article 72(8), which empowers the Speaker to notify the Electoral Commission of Zambia of a vacancy.

WARNING! All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express permission from ZAMBIA MONITOR.