Childbirth isn’t a man’s profession – Opposition leader Enock Tonga
THIRD Liberation Movement Party president Enock Tonga believes men should not be involved in childbirth and that male midwives should be banned immediately, a policy which he seeks to pursue once elected republican president in 2026.
Tonga said childbirth is a sensitive and private process that should only be handled by women, arguing that the presence of men in delivery rooms is morally wrong and culturally unacceptable.
Appearing on Diamond TV Breakfast Show today, he described male midwifery as deeply troubling as men are now participating in activities during birth delivery that they should never be part of.
“Childbirth is not a man’s profession and the growing involvement of men in midwifery has crossed acceptable boundaries. It has gone too far. They even touch where men should not touch when women are delivering babies,” he said.
“Some may be professional, but we should not entertain that.”
He argued that men have many other career options and questioned why a man would choose midwifery.
“There are so many professions a man can fit into. Why should a man be thinking of becoming a woman through a profession?” Tonga asked.
The opposition leader also criticised women who say they feel comfortable being assisted by male midwives, questioning what that says about society.
“I have seen women saying they are more comfortable being [assisted to deliver] by men. What kind of women are we having in the Republic of Zambia?” he asked.
Referring to labour pain, Tonga said that although childbirth is painful, it should not lead to what he described as abnormal situations in the delivery room, questioning whether women lose control during labour.
He said the law must step in to protect them.
“Biblically, the Bible says you go through pain and the pain a woman goes through cannot be explained, but that does not mean normal limits should be crossed,” he stated.
“Do women become abnormal in the delivery room that they open their legs for men? We need to protect women by the law so that childbirth is done normally.”
Tonga also made it clear that he would never accept male midwifery within his own family.
“I can’t allow my son to even talk about being a male midwife. This stance would remain firm even if it affects my political support. Leadership requires standing by one’s beliefs.”
“I am not here to kneel down or beg for votes. People have a decision to make,” stated Tonga.
By Sharon Zulu
Kalemba December 30, 2025
This is the biggest problem with Democracy, it even tolerates idiots and nincompoops. Should such chaps even be allowed chance to want to lead us. This is an insult to to the country. This chap should just sit back and continue wanking.
For the first time, I am supporting you on this issue, that job is exclusively for women and it should be left to women alone. Even when we read the Bible, there is nowhere you can find or read about men being involved in delivering women. The name itself Midwifery suggests that it’s only women that should be involved in this work. There could have been a time when women professionals were not enough in this area, but I believe this time we have many of them that are qualified in this area and can run this department alone. So there is no justification to continue using men when we have enough female manpower. Only in some exceptional cases or complications, men can be involved but not the way it’s being done now. Some hospitals have more male midwives than female, may be this is the high time we can start looking at this issue. But whatever others can say, having male midwives is traditionally, culturally and biblically wrong, in Arab countries it’s not even there. Let’s restore the dignity of our women or our mothers.
I kinda agree with him, I don’t know who he is
He is on point, certain carriers should not be taken by male folks and equally certain carriers should not be taken by female folks
In most developed countries, patients have a choice whether they want a male or female medical practitioner to attend to them. It’s not only in childbirth, but there are other tests which involve private parts. Some women prefer to be attended to by men regardless of the test to be carried out. There is also an element of culture; some cultures do not allow men in the delivery rooms, while others have no problems with it.