SITEMBILE SIWAWA, Lusaka
PATRIOTIC Front Kamwala Ward 5 councillor Joyce Banda has advised women aspiring to contest the August elections to have a vast understanding of challenges facing their communities if they are to win.
Mrs Banda said women are better placed to understand the challenges community members go through and that is why they must be given a chance to govern.
Sharing her experience as a woman politician at a meeting organised by the Zambia National Women’s Lobby in Lusaka recently, Mrs Banda also advised women to always have a listening ear to the cries of their respective communities.
“Sometimes, community members can have better ideas than you as a member of Parliament (MP) and so you must be someone who is willing to listen,” she said.
And Mrs Banda further advised women to go back to school and acquire an education if they are to participate effectively in politics.
Additionally, she praised the PF party for pledging to pay nomination fees for women who will be adopted on the party ticket.
And in her experience sharing, former Chilubi Island MP Juliana Chisupa said respecting local leadership in areas women are aspiring to contest from is cardinal.
Mrs Chisupa who is also aspiring for the same seat under the Forum for Democracy and Development said failure to respect local leadership can sabotage one’s political ambition.
She also reiterated calls for one to listen to the needs of the people and act on them with haste.
“And my other advice to fellow women is do not take people from Lusaka as your campaign managers, the locals will definitely not support you because you might end up making them feel inferior,” Mrs Chisupa said.