The Civil Society Constitution Agenda (CiSCA) has said that it is utterly appalled and disgusted by the patriarchal sexist remarks that Mr William Banda, a senior member of the ruling party, made against the New Heritage Party President, Ms Chishala Kateka.
In a statement released to the media by Judith Mulenga, the chairperson, CiSCA urge the United Party for National Development (UPND) Party leadership to discipline Mr Banda and all men present at that video-taking incident including the video taker.
CiSCA said that the extreme assertion that Ms Kateka is sexually starved hence her lone demonstration holding a placard lamenting hunger in homes is gender-based violence and harassment on his part and the party he thought he was defending.
Below is the full statement
Lusaka, 23 June 2022: The Civil Society Constitution Agenda (CiSCA) is utterly appalled and disgusted by the patriarchal sexist remarks that Mr. William Banda, a senior member of the ruling party, made against the New Heritage Party President, Ms. Chishala Kateka. The extreme assertion that Ms. Kateka is sexually starved hence her lone demonstration holding a placard lamenting hunger in homes is gender-based violence and harassment on his part and the party he thought he was defending. Mr. Banda is clearly unapologetic misogynist! We note that Mr. Banda has never raised these sentiments against male opposition politicians who have equally been raising their voices against the ruling party. We understand why. The male opposition politicians are potential members of the ruling party and their gender is a valued bargaining chip!
By those misogynistic utterances Mr. Banda has violated several parts of our Constitution that recognizes the equal worth of all human beings. In particular, he has broken every part of Article 8 of our national values especially part (d) that speaks to human dignity, equity, social justice, equality and nondiscrimination. Article 60 on political parties does not state that men are better placed to lead political parties because they do not have a proclivity to sexual starvation and hence shall not demonstrate against the ruling party holding placards with messages of hunger! Throughout the Constitution the neutral word ‘person’ is used to refer to human beings.
President Hakainde Hichilema, during his 11th March 2022 speech to the National Assembly, in fulfilment of Article 9 part 2 of the Constitution which compels the Republican President to, ‘Once a year, report to the National Assembly the progress made in the application if the values and principles,’ the President emphasized his government’s concern on how information and communication technologies are being used to among other things, ‘perpetrate hate speech, cyberbullying, fake news, cybercrime and circulation of obscene materials, among other vices,’ He added, ‘It is important that we use these platforms responsibly for the betterment of our nation.’ CiSCA is therefore perplexed that his senior political advisor can shamelessly utter and release such obscenity on social media.
We urge the UPND Party leadership to discipline Mr. William Banda and all men present at that video taking incidence including the video taker. We further call upon the Vice President, Mrs. W. K. Mutale Nalumango to also ensure that the Gender Equity and Equality Commission as provided for in Article 231 of our Constitution is established soon to bring about tangible transformative change in our nation. Let this be one of her legacies. We understand the challenge she and the other 4 women face against 21 men in Cabinet, but we believe that with proper implementation of the constitutional principles our ‘Big Five’ Women can turn this challenge into an opportunity to bring about progress in the needed gender equity and equality in our beloved nation.