By Susan Mwape
In as much as society likes to view women as the introverts in society, women are far much stronger than they exhibit. Realistically women are the very pillar of society they carry a lot of burdens and shoulder a lot in their lifetimes. Most often women feel that society only comes to them when in desperation.
Zambia will on 28th September 2006, be holding the Presidential, Parliamentary and Local Government elections, so much activity has been taking place in terms of political campaigning ever since Mr. Levy Patrick Mwanawasa SC the President of the Republic of Zambia announced the election date. All political parties aspiring for office have since embarked on political campaigns and most of them have been seeking the assistance of women in their campaigns.
Women have been going around singing songs in support of certain parties and often times the political parties have what in Zambia is known as Chitenge material (Wrap) which women wear as a traditional outfit, they also have t-shirts and caps. The campaign material is distributed to the women in communities. Women however have not been fooled by these gestures.
During an informal discussion at a communal tap in Kanyama Compound a Peri-urban area in Lusaka. A good number of women expressed their displeasure on the on-going campaigns, the thanked the idea every ones votes being secret. One of the women said she was planning to gather all the chitenge materials from all political parties and that she knew who she was going to vote for President.
Among the issues raised by the same women was the issue of exploitation by some party cadres one of the women said “these people come to us to attend their public rallies and yet the ones that are paid by the political parties and leaders are others we just go there to increase the number to people”. Another woman said she was disgusted because whenever their was even just drinks or food only “certain people” ate together with the politicians.
The women said they were and tired of being used during elections and said they would rather use their votes wisely, they said despite their singing and chanting slogans of certain political parties they each knew who they were planning to vote for as President, Member of Parliament and Councilor.
In as much as society likes to view women as the introverts in society, women are far much stronger than they exhibit. Realistically women are the very pillar of society they carry a lot of burdens and shoulder a lot in their lifetimes. Most often women feel that society only comes to them when in desperation.
Zambia will on 28th September 2006, be holding the Presidential, Parliamentary and Local Government elections, so much activity has been taking place in terms of political campaigning ever since Mr. Levy Patrick Mwanawasa SC the President of the Republic of Zambia announced the election date. All political parties aspiring for office have since embarked on political campaigns and most of them have been seeking the assistance of women in their campaigns.
Women have been going around singing songs in support of certain parties and often times the political parties have what in Zambia is known as Chitenge material (Wrap) which women wear as a traditional outfit, they also have t-shirts and caps. The campaign material is distributed to the women in communities. Women however have not been fooled by these gestures.
During an informal discussion at a communal tap in Kanyama Compound a Peri-urban area in Lusaka. A good number of women expressed their displeasure on the on-going campaigns, the thanked the idea every ones votes being secret. One of the women said she was planning to gather all the chitenge materials from all political parties and that she knew who she was going to vote for President.
Among the issues raised by the same women was the issue of exploitation by some party cadres one of the women said “these people come to us to attend their public rallies and yet the ones that are paid by the political parties and leaders are others we just go there to increase the number to people”. Another woman said she was disgusted because whenever their was even just drinks or food only “certain people” ate together with the politicians.
The women said they were and tired of being used during elections and said they would rather use their votes wisely, they said despite their singing and chanting slogans of certain political parties they each knew who they were planning to vote for as President, Member of Parliament and Councilor.
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