Sexual Coercion Allegations Surface in Zambian Politics

Tue Mar 17 2026 18:42:14 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

A senior Zambian official reveals reports of sexual favours being solicited from female political candidates ahead of the upcoming general elections.

In a troubling revelation, Mainga Kabika from the Zambian presidency has reported that several female political candidates are being asked for sexual favours in exchange for party nominations. This practice, termed as 'sextortion', contributes to the already marginalized status of women in Zambian politics where only about 15% of MPs are women. Calls for reporting these incidents and implementing stricter laws against such harassment have arisen from activists.

A senior Zambian government official has revealed that some political parties are soliciting sexual favours from prospective female candidates as a prerequisite for their selection ahead of the general elections scheduled for August.

Mainga Kabika, head of the gender office in the presidency, urged aspiring women candidates to document these instances, expressing her concern over the reports she has received. During a conference with state prosecutors, she stated, I can confirm to you right now that I am actually receiving a lot of messages; some of them are already on record… they are reporting that they are already being asked for sexual favours in exchange for adoption [as candidates], and this is unacceptable.

This situation underscores the significant gender disparity in Zambian politics, with only about 15% of members of parliament being women. A statement from the president's office last year described the under-representation of women at leadership levels as a reflection of deep-rooted cultural and structural barriers.

Beauty Katebe, chair of the Non-Governmental Gender Organisations Coordinating Council, emphasized the negative impact of such practices, noting that this situation is very troubling as it discourages many women from participating in politics, particularly as candidates. She highlighted the cultural biases and the stigma faced by victims of these coercive tactics, which she referred to as 'sextortion.'

Katebe called for the establishment of a fast-track court for handling such allegations swiftly and advocated for stricter laws against sexual harassment of women in politics. She argued that increased visibility of these cases could deter perpetrators.

Despite recent high-profile female appointments, including that of Vice-President Mutale Nalumango, significant obstacles remain. The president's office has noted that only 28% of civil service directors are women, and a mere five out of 36 CEOs of state-owned enterprises are female.

The upcoming general election on August 13 will see Zambians voting for a president, members of parliament, councillors, and council chairs. The revelations of sexual coercion ahead of these elections raise serious concerns about the integrity of the political process and the participation of women in governance.