WOMEN LEFT BEHIND

Declining number of female candidates exposes persistent barriers and failure by political parties to translate gender equality commitments into action ahead of the 2026 General Elections

By Francis Maingaila ♥️

Lusaka, Zambia24 – 29-07-2026) - The Non-governmental Gender Organisations Coordinating Council (NGOCC) has blamed political parties for Zambia’s failure to achieve equal gender representation in decision-making spaces, warning that the declining number of women contesting key elective positions in the 2026 General Elections reflects persistent barriers to women’s political participation.

Speaking during the release of a statement at Merica Zunga Hall in Lusaka on Tuesday, NGOCC Board Information and Publicity Secretary Leah Mitaba said the latest candidate nomination figures announced by the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) paint a disappointing picture of gender inclusion ahead of the August 13, 2026 General Elections.

Ms Mitaba said despite years of advocacy, constitutional provisions, regional commitments and political promises on gender equality, women continue to face deep-rooted barriers that prevent them from competing fairly for elective positions.

“The figures demonstrate that Zambia remains far from achieving the 50-50 gender representation envisaged in national, regional and global commitments,” Ms Mitaba said.

She said only one woman out of the 14 presidential candidates is contesting the presidency, representing 7.1 percent, a situation she described as evidence of limited progress since the 2021 elections when only one woman contested among 15 presidential candidates.

At parliamentary level, Ms Mitaba said women account for only 122 of the 973 validly nominated candidates, representing 12.5 percent.

This, she said, represents a sharp decline from the 2021 elections where 181 women contested parliamentary seats out of 857 candidates, translating to 21.1 percent.

For mayoral and council chairperson positions, NGOCC said only 48 out of 439 candidates are women, representing 10.9 percent, compared to 56 women out of 381 candidates in 2021.

At council level, women represent only 433 of the 5,099 candidates, translating to 8.5 percent, a further decline from 565 out of 5,693 candidates in the previous election cycle.

Ms Mitaba said the continued decline demonstrates that political parties have not done enough to dismantle structures that have historically excluded women from leadership.

She said political parties remain the main gatekeepers to elective office because failure to adopt women candidates denies voters the opportunity to choose female leaders.

“Political parties are really at the centre stage because if you do not adopt a woman, the voter does not have the option to choose a woman,” she said.

Ms Mitaba said NGOCC engaged political parties, including the ruling party and opposition political parties, before the adoption process to remind them of their obligations under the Constitution, African Union commitments and United Nations conventions on gender equality.

She said the organisation appealed to political leaders to uphold the rule of law and ensure their public commitments to gender equality were reflected in the selection of candidates.

However, she said the outcome of the adoption process showed that political parties had not done enough to support women aspiring for public office.

Ms Mitaba dismissed claims that political parties lacked qualified female candidates, revealing that NGOCC had identified more than 900 women willing to contest the 2026 General Elections.

She said the women had identified different political platforms under which they wished to contest, including the ruling party, opposition parties, independent platforms and other political movements.

She said NGOCC shared the list of interested female candidates with political parties and received assurances that they would be considered during the adoption process.

“We were told women were not available, but we had more than 900 women who were willing to participate. We gave political parties the names of women who wanted to contest, but sadly the adoption process did not produce the expected results,” Ms Mitaba said.

She challenged Zambians to hold political leaders accountable for failing to translate gender equality commitments into action.

“The reality is that gender equality cannot remain a political slogan while women continue to face obstacles during adoption and nomination processes,” she said.

NGOCC also criticised alleged violence, intimidation, political coercion and unfair practices that reportedly characterised some party adoption processes, saying such conduct discourages women from entering politics.

Ms Mitaba said reports of manipulation and intimidation during candidate selection processes undermine internal party democracy and create an environment where qualified women are discouraged from participating.

She said such practices send a negative message to women who aspire to serve in public office.

The gender lobby group welcomed the introduction of the Mixed Member Proportional Representation (MMPR) system, saying it could provide additional opportunities for women and other marginalised groups.

However, NGOCC warned that electoral reforms alone cannot solve Zambia’s gender imbalance unless political parties deliberately nominate and support women in winnable constituencies.

Ms Mitaba said Zambia should learn from other countries that have introduced affirmative action measures to improve women’s representation.

She cited South Africa’s zebra system, where male and female candidates alternate on party lists, as an example of deliberate measures aimed at promoting gender balance.

She said Zambia lost an opportunity to consider similar mechanisms during previous constitutional reforms because of what she described as a rushed amendment process.

Ms Mitaba said constitutional amendments require broad consultation because they shape the country’s democratic future.

She further observed that Zambia needed a comprehensive Bill of Rights, arguing that economic, social and cultural rights were essential for meaningful participation in leadership.

Ms Mitaba challenged political party leaders, including presidents, secretaries general and chairpersons, to take responsibility for creating inclusive political environments.

She said parties must adopt transparent, merit-based and gender-sensitive candidate selection processes while investing in identifying, mentoring and protecting women leaders.

“Women must not only be encouraged to participate; they must be genuinely supported, protected and given a fair opportunity to win,” she said.

NGOCC further called on the Electoral Commission of Zambia, law enforcement agencies, the media, civil society organisations, traditional leaders and religious leaders to work together to protect women candidates and promote peaceful, issue-based campaigns.

Ms Mitaba also raised concerns over the use of minors in political campaigns, particularly the sharing of children’s images on social media and public platforms without appropriate consent.

She said political actors should exercise caution because such practices could violate child protection principles and laws.

She further urged the Zambia Police Service to remain impartial in handling electoral matters, saying public confidence depends not only on fairness but also on the perception that institutions are acting independently.

Ms Mitaba said if citizens perceive law enforcement agencies as biased, it undermines trust in democratic institutions.

She said even with the allocation of 20 women under the court system and possible increases in parliamentary representation, Zambia would still remain far below the desired gender equality target.

She said if the current 12 percent parliamentary representation goes through, women’s representation would still only be around 15 percent.

Ms Mitaba said the figures demonstrate the urgent need for affirmative action to level the political playing field.

She compared women’s participation in politics to a football match where teams compete without equal preparation and support, saying that without deliberate measures, the strongest will continue to dominate.

“Without affirmative action, the strongest will always keep winning. That is why, as a women’s movement, we continue speaking about levelling the playing field,” she said.

Ms Mitaba said a democracy cannot claim to fully represent citizens when women, who make up nearly half of the population, remain significantly absent from political leadership.

“A democracy where women remain underrepresented cannot fully reflect the aspirations, experiences and priorities of all citizens,” she said.

NGOCC said the future of Zambia’s democracy depends not only on peaceful elections, but also on inclusive elections where women are not merely allowed to participate, but are empowered to lead.