This Parliament Worries Me’ – Imboela Questions Impact of Women in Leadership

Opposition politician Saboi Imboela says the growing number of women in Zambia’s Parliament will mean little if they have no real influence on national decisions.

“This Parliament worries me,” Imboela said, stating that Zambia must strengthen its democracy if women are to have a meaningful place in national leadership.

She said women’s participation should go beyond occupying seats to having the confidence, knowledge and influence to shape policies and hold government accountable.

Imboela questioned how women had been included in the government’s Grow Zambia agenda, arguing that their role in the country’s development plans needed to be clearly defined.

While describing the agenda as a positive step towards national development, she said the real test would be whether government backs its commitments with funding.

“We want Zambia to develop. But where are the women in that agenda? And what exactly are we looking for?” she asked.

She urged stakeholders to pay close attention to the national budget to establish whether money would be allocated to the priorities government had outlined.

Imboela also called on Members of Parliament to take their work seriously by reading, researching and preparing adequately for parliamentary debates.

She expressed concern over some of the recent speeches in Parliament, arguing that lawmakers should focus on their legislative responsibilities instead of turning debates into confrontations with political opponents.

Her concerns extended to the representation of women through the proportional representation system, saying such MPs should remember that their responsibility is to represent the interests of the groups whose participation in politics they were elected to advance.

Imboela challenged women MPs to work together across party lines, particularly in pushing for issues affecting women, young people and persons with disabilities.

She said political parties also need clear and fair criteria for selecting candidates, noting that uncertainty over the process could discourage women and young people from participating in politics.

She warned that increasing the number of women in Parliament would not automatically translate into greater influence if they were unable to contribute meaningfully.

“We don’t want an increased Parliament with a reduced voice,” she said.

She further argued that Zambia cannot expect women’s inclusion to improve while democratic institutions and practices remain weak.

“If there’s no democracy, then women’s inclusion will continue to be elusive. We need to strengthen our democracy in order to strengthen gender equality,” she said.

She urged women leaders to stand together despite their political differences, saying unity would be key to making progress.

“When we stand together, we are going to achieve so much more,” she said.