POLITICAL INTIMIDATION AGAINST WOMEN MUST END
…says SP Women, as they denounce ‘Zambia’s shrinking democratic space’
Mpongwe… Sunday January 26, 2025
The Socialist Party (SP) National Women’s League has strongly condemned the deliberate political intimidation against women in Zambia, calling for an immediate end to such oppressive tactics.
Speaking on the state of democracy in Zambia, party Women’s Chairperson Gitipher Chinyanta Kalungu stated that the democratic space under the current regime is rapidly shrinking, with women particularly bearing the brunt of targeted intimidation.
She cited the case of Mumbi Phiri, who she claimed was unjustly arrested and detained under inhumane conditions, as a glaring example of the regime’s attempts to silence dissenting voices.
Ms Kalungu revealed that Phiri endured over a year of wrongful imprisonment and an additional two weeks in Police custody under degrading conditions for a crime she did not commit.
She argued that Phiri’s real offense was her courage to speak truth to power and advocate for justice.
Ms Kalungu criticized the silence of women in leadership positions on Phiri’s plight, calling it a betrayal of their mandate to protect the rights of women.
The Socialist Party official highlighted the far-reaching consequences of political intimidation, noting that it discourages women from entering politics for fear of humiliation, arrest, or harm.
She emphasized that excluding women from leadership roles is detrimental to Zambia’s democracy and development.
Quoting Nelson Mandela, Kalungu reminded Zambians that “freedom cannot be achieved unless women have been emancipated from all forms of oppression.”
She pointed out that women leaders have historically been instrumental in driving change and accused the regime of targeting them to stifle accountability and suppress democracy.
Ms Kalungu urged the government to halt its oppressive tactics, stating that political intimidation undermines Zambia’s democratic foundation.
She called on women aspiring to leadership roles to rise against oppression and support each other regardless of political affiliations.
In her message to Zambian women, she encouraged them not to retreat in the face of oppression.
“Now, more than ever, Zambia needs your voice, your courage, and your leadership,” she said, quoting Eleanor Roosevelt’s famous words: “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”
Ms Kalungu concluded with a rallying call for solidarity, urging Zambians to stand together against political intimidation and to demand a nation where democracy thrives, women are safe to lead, and justice prevails.
“Mumbi Phiri’s story is a reminder of what is at stake,” she stated. “Hands off Mumbi Phiri and every Zambian woman who dares to stand up for what is right!”