NGOCC Celebrates Women’s Cabinet Appointments, Raises Concern Over Low Representation

The Non-Governmental Organisations’ Coordinating Council (NGOCC) has congratulated five women appointed to Cabinet and ministerial positions, while expressing concern over the low representation of women in government.

The appointees are Olive Clara Chiboola, Minister of Fisheries and Livestock; Dr Caroline Chanda Katotobwe, Minister of Trade and Exports; Brenda Tambatamba, Minister of Mines and Minerals Development; Princess Kasune, Minister of Tourism; and Sheal Mulyata, Minister of Community Development and Social Services.

NGOCC Executive Director Anne Mbewe-Anamela said the organisation was confident the women would perform well and reaffirmed its support for their appointments.

However, NGOCC says women occupy only five of the 40 Cabinet and Provincial Minister positions, representing 12.5 per cent. Of these, five women are among the 30 Cabinet positions, while none has been appointed to the 10 Provincial Minister roles. The organisation also noted that no woman with a disability had been appointed.

NGOCC further observed that only one of the 26 women elected through proportional representation had been appointed, while all seven Presidential-nominated parliamentary seats filled so far had gone to men.

The organisation said women’s representation had declined from five out of 35 positions, or 14.3 per cent, in 2021 to five out of 40 positions, or 12.5 per cent, in 2026, despite the increase in Cabinet size from 25 to 30 positions.

It said the figures raised concerns about Zambia’s commitment to gender equality under international and regional instruments, including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, the African Union Protocol on Women’s Rights and the SADC Protocol on Gender and Development.

NGOCC has called on President Hakainde Hichilema to appoint more women to the four remaining Presidential-nominated parliamentary seats and ensure greater female representation in appointments such as Permanent Secretaries, District Commissioners, Ambassadors, commissions and boards.