Walala Washala women empowered

FORMER ambassador to Italy Lucy Mungoma has commended women of Lusaka’s Minestone township for forming a Walala Washala Club that is aimed at empowering women acquire basic skills that will help in poverty eradication.

The club comprises 55 women and will empower members in basic entrepreneurship, business management, savings and banking, tailoring, agriculture, carpentry, bricklaying, plumbing and small-scale farming.

Ms Mungoma noted that the club is breaking barriers by encouraging women to engage in the man-titled jobs.

She was speaking at the launch of the club in Lusaka recently.

“This is so encouraging and this group is working towards being influential in poverty alleviation. This group is starting with families, the local communities and later the whole nation,” Ms Mungoma said.
She added that once poverty is addressed starting with the voiceless in the community, “we are assured of healthy people and step towards social development”.

And Walala Washala Club chairperson Christine Katungulu said Government alone cannot provide employment for everyone, and that the club will endeavour to create jobs for women.

Ms Katungulu said the objective of the club is to empower women and youths through special skills that will sustain them.

She said the motto for our club is “to empower a woman, you empower a nation”. Actually, the idea to form a club was based on the appointment of the first female Vice-President, Inonge Wina.”

Ms Katungulu said President Lungu has given women in the country the impetus to believe in themselves.

We have only 5 female town clerks

OUT of 103 councils in the countr, only five have female town clerks.

Lusaka mayor George Nyendwa described this development as unfortunate and challenged women in politics to show their commitment and work towards being recognised and counted alongside men.

“I am challenging women to start taking part in politics if they are to ascend to the helm of the councils,” he said.

Mr Nyendwa said women can only be appointed to higher positions in the councils if they participate in politics.

Meanwhile, Mr Nyendwa further challenged political parties to adopt women to contest as ward councillors to help increase the number of women in politics.

He noted that the number of women in politics can only be increased if there is a deliberate policy of reserving certain constituencies for female politicians. “Like the way we do it in the Patriotic Front, we deliberately adopt women at both local government and parliamentary levels.”

Mr Nyendwa said the new republican constitution should include a law which will reserve certain constituencies for women so that the number of females in politics can increase.

“We have seen this policy and law work for our friends in neighbouring countries like South Africa. That is why in these countries, there are a lot of women participating in politics and being appointed to decision-making decisions,” he said.

The mayor has encouraged women entrepreneurs to form clubs and solicit funds from Government to enhance their businesses to eradicate poverty.