Zim lawmaker hails PF-PINK

THE Patriotic Front’s newly-formed female wing dubbed ‘PF-PINK’ has been praised for its initiative to inspire young women to take up the mantle in leadership and politics.
PF-Pink was launched in June last year and is being pioneered by Petauke member of Parliament (MP) Dora Siliya and her Shiwang’andu counterpart Steven Kampyongo with the hope of inspiring young women.
Recently, PF-Pink held a one-day conference which drew participation from young women from different walks of life.
Speaking at the function, Minister in the Office of Zimbabwe’s Vice-President Tabetha Kanengoni Malinga praised the initiative and called for more participation of young women in politics.
Mrs Malinga, who is also Mazowe Central MP, said women who are already in politics should not close the door for young women but should leave it open for more to fill the vacuum.
She observed that women are born leaders because they are able to multi-task when compared to men.
“I am the youngest female minister and MP in my country and I aspire to see more of young women taking up the mantle of leadership both in decision-making and politics,” Mrs Malinga said.
She pledged to form such an initiative in Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU–PF) to allow for young women to join.
Speaking at the same event, South Africa’s former Minister of Communication Dina Pule commended the PF-Pink, describing it as a ladder for young women to climb on their way to leadership.
Ms Pule said leadership and politics must not only be for survival but must be a passion and servitude.
She said the initiative to have young women in politics is not meant to oust the older ones but to have about 50 percent of women in decision-making.
“Once our generation in politics is phased out, young women can easily take up the mantle and continue from where we will end,” Ms Pule said.
And Ms Siliya said if women are to be recognised in politics and leadership, they must first avail themselves and be ready.
Ms Siliya said the struggles women go through transcend party lines and that is why all women should support one another.

Women urged not to sell land

THE Parliamentary committee on land has said there can only be equal access to land by men and women when women stop selling land in their possession.
The committee, chaired by Kalomo Central member of Parliament Request Muntanga, observed that some women are frustrating the efforts of their counterparts who are fighting tirelessly to have more women access land.
Mr Muntanga said there must be accountability and transparency in the way women are selling land.
He said this when acting House of Chiefs representative Elina Phiri appeared before the committee to discuss access to land by women.
“If a study was to be conducted, you will discover that most women now have access to land but majority of them are selling it. And most of those who are buying this land from women are men, resulting in more men having more access to land,” Mr Muntanga said.
And Nalikwanda MP Geoffrey Lungwangwa said having more female chiefs in the country will contribute to increased access to land by women, especially in the rural areas.
Professor Lungwangwa said most tribes in Zambia are matrilineal and that is why women must ascend to the chieftainship.
“Most tribes in our country follow the matrilineal set-up and as such we must have more women ascending to the chieftainship; this will benefit a lot of women in return,” he said.
In response Ms Phiri said inasmuch as most tribes in the country are matrilineal, society still has the patriarchal system in place which has continued to disadvantage women.
Mrs Phiri said most women gain access to land through their sons, especially when one is married.
She also called for land acquired by women to be registered to avoid being grabbed in the future.