Inspire me to appoint more women - Lungu
PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu has challenged women in government to perform according to expectations if he is to be inspired to appoint more women to higher positions.
Mr Lungu said that the Patriotic Front government was determined to achieve gender equity in decision-making positions.
He however said that all appointments would be made on merit, saying that he did not want to give positions to individuals who would be a letdown.
The President said this at State House yesterday during the swearing in ceremony of Monde Gwaba as senior private secretary at the Office of the Vice-President, Martha Mwitumwa as ambassador and permanent representative to the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland and Esther Nkandu as ambassador to Belgium.
“The vice President is always worried about women, today she must be smiling. Be the spur that will inspire me to appoint more women to higher positions,” he said.
President Lungu emphasised that the appointments of the trio was done on merit as they had served in various positions of Government.
“Mrs Gwaba, it is a deserved appointment because you have served the people of Zambia for over 34 years. Mrs Mwitumwa, you hold a degree in education and master of gender studies. You have served government for 27 years in various positions. And Prof Nkandu, you have served as a successful academician at the University of Zambia where you are currently serving as dean of school of health sciences and other achievements,” he said.
And the appointed women promised to execute their duties to the expectations of Zambians and thanked President Lungu for making a stride towards achieving gender parity.
Earlier, President Lungu, the first lady, Esther and minister of Health Chitalu Chilufya met Merck Foundation president Dr Rasha Kelej.
The President learnt that Merck had been working in Zambia since 2016 through providing trainings for the first fertility specialists in Zambia and providing clinical training on fertility specialty.
President Lungu expressed happiness with the work of Merck, noting that women had suffered with regards to infertility and were often blamed for the condition.