NGOCC and Citizens First Engage to Champion Women and Inclusive Leadership

By Lucy Bwalya Chawinga

Earlier today, a renewed call for inclusive politics echoed through the room as the Non-governmental Gender Organisations’ Coordinating Council (NGOCC) met with Citizens First President, Mr. Harry Kalaba, in a high-level engagement centred on women’s leadership, youth participation and disability inclusion. The engagement marked a significant step in NGOCC’s quest to strengthen collaboration between civil society and political actors committed to gender-responsive governance.

Leading the NGOCC delegation, Chairperson Ms. Beauty Katebe reaffirmed the organisation’s unwavering commitment to nurturing and supporting female aspiring candidates across the country. This commitment was given practical expression by NGOCC Executive Director Ms. Anne Mbewe-Anamela, who presented a list of 23 female aspiring candidates seeking participation under the Citizens First Party through NGOCC’s support framework.

Youth voices and concerns were firmly placed on the agenda when Young Women in Action Executive Director, Ms. Florence Tembo, challenged the party to demonstrate deliberate reforms that advance young women and youth participation. Responding, Mr. Kalaba underscored that Citizens First has established a dedicated team focusing on women’s initiatives and is actively promoting youth engagement in leadership and political processes.

The conversation on inclusion broadened further with Zambia National Association of women with Disabilities’ Ms. Chilufya Bwalya’s powerful intervention on behalf of persons with disabilities. She emphasized that meaningful democracy must reflect the diversity of citizens, calling for increased representation of persons with disabilities in Parliament and other leadership spaces, beyond symbolic inclusion.

In his remarks, Mr. Kalaba outlined Citizens First’s concrete commitments. He revealed that the party is working towards a deliberate policy ensuring that at least 30 percent of adopted candidates are women a target he expressed confidence would be achieved. He further highlighted the party’s strong focus on encouraging women to participate in local government, particularly as councillors, where grassroots leadership is shaped.

Citing recent by-elections in Nchelenge, Lupososhi and Milenge, Mr. Kalaba noted that Citizens First adopted female candidates in all three constituencies, signalling a shift from rhetoric to action. He also reiterated the party’s intention to increase the representation of persons with disabilities in Parliament.

The engagement concluded on a note of cautious optimism, with both NGOCC and Citizens First affirming that inclusive leadership is not only a moral imperative, but a democratic necessity. As Zambia looks ahead to future electoral processes, the meeting stood as a reminder that sustained dialogue and deliberate action are key to translating inclusive promises into political reality.