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Zambian Men Target Rich Women, Says Sinyangwe
THE number of men feeding off educated and economically empowered women in urban areas is increasing, says gender permanent secretary Annie Sinyangwe.
And Sinyangwe expressed regret that most young women are sacrificing their career progression by refusing to take up senior appointments in rural areas in preference for marriage.
Meanwhile, Sinyangwe said triviality among women was the biggest stumbling block to genuine female progression in key leadership positions.
Sinyangwe said Zambian men are increasingly getting attracted to economically empowered women.
“It’s a myth that men fear economically empowered women,” Sinyangwe said. “Half of the men even here in Lusaka are feeding like parasites on these educated women and economically empowered women. And we women are even saying, ‘here is a car for you; here is fuel for you’. Half of the clothes, it’s her who has bought. In fact, this time men are not afraid but they are attracted to empowered women. So if you are not empowered, the man won’t even come. If you are not even driving, the man won’t come because it’s either you are going to be a burden or you will be nagging too much.”
She said the number of men who believed that a man was the provider in the home was declining.
“Those men with that inferiority complex are declining because of the economic pressures,” she said. “Most of them would want to marry someone who is contributing in one way or another.”
She said encouraging women to be housewives was counter-productive.
“You find that by 12 hours, somebody has finished all household chores and then the rest of the day they spend it gossiping and watching Nigerian movies,” she said. “We want them to be working formally or if they need empowerment, we are here.”
And Sinyangwe complained that some young women being recruited by the government were shunning rural areas for fear of losing marriages or not being married.
“Even men in the rural areas are hard working in their own right and there are professionals are out there in these districts,” Sinyangwe said. “The men are not just in Lusaka. In fact, Lusaka is saturated; the few resources against too many people. You find that even the same men they are talking about here in Lusaka, they have got three four women to themselves and it’s these same women who are working so hard to ensure that this man has got fuel; he has got. It’s like they are buying the love. So, if it’s marriage, marriage can be found anywhere. It’s not only in Lusaka. So, for me, I would encourage any of these middle-level officers to accept the appointment once given to them by the government or by an institution to go and work and excel outside Lusaka.”
Sinyangwe, who urged men to remain faithful when their wives were away from home for school or any other career progression, said men were increasingly becoming helpful in seeing their wives succeed.
“We are not saying that marriage is not important. It’s very important but not at the expense of progression,” she said. “And both partners must support each other. In fact, I shouldn’t blame the men because the men encourage their wives. There are very few men who discourage their women to go further either in their studies or other businesses. The Ministry of Education now have a policy of sending their teachers back to university for higher learning to get degrees and as government we are paying. But yet we look at statistics; more men are going to school to take up the masters degree levels than women. When you ask further, you will find women just don’t want to go because they fear that when they go, they will leave their husbands for four years and the husband will marry someone else. If they are meant to marry, they will marry even when you are there.”
Meanwhile, Sinyangwe urged women to support each other in attaining leadership positions.
“As Zambia, we will not reach the 50-50 SADC Protocol if we don’t change this attitude whereby even ourselves as women, we are very trivial… ‘no she is not married so she can’t be a leader; no, she has no children so she can’t be a leader; no, she was divorced; she is a prostitute’…,” she said. “How many male prostitutes are we choosing to be our leaders? They are heading institutions. But if it’s your fellow woman vying for higher position, you are even the first one to spread the rumours…’she is the one who grabbed a husband’.”
Sinyangwe said trivialities were inhibiting women’s progression.
“But there is goodwill from the government to ensure that most women that are educated enough can get into decision-making positions,” said Sinyangwe. “Look at what the President Michael Sata is doing for women in this country. As government, we are encouraging them not to lose this opportunity. Governments change and maybe there will be no government to encourage you the way we are doing. So far, women have shown that they can be anything. Those who have qualifications let them serve in higher positions which are limited in Lusaka.”
PostNewspaper
Posted by Editor
on December 31, 2013. Filed under LATEST NEWS.
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mwamba mutale
December 31, 2013 at 8:43 am
Sex cintu ichikalamba sana,chachila ulupwa
Wanu Ngwee
December 31, 2013 at 11:52 am
Okey iwe Annie Sinyangwe, can you apply to be transferred as PS to Muchinga Province, North Western or Western Province now? Is your husband going to follow you(if you’ve one)? The dust from the red soil of our rural areas will conceal all your makeup and no man will want to look at you!!! Let’s not lie about obvious things- we’ve a lot of work to do to improve our rural areas and make them appealing to young people. Imagine yourself squatting on a pit latrine after graduating from UNZA???
mabi
December 31, 2013 at 2:02 pm
you are just busy transferring officers from towns and replacing them with your relative and children who have just been engaged. why not sent the newly employed to the rural areas and I am ashamed with you PS, instead of being against this idear of separating couples which is now a new culture to spreading HIV. Have you thought of that mama PS?. wife in Vubu and the husband in Mongu or Solwezi. Sad.
Icikalipa
December 31, 2013 at 8:53 am
This is true even lowly women special meals are for man friend and her own children vegies through out.watch out the se children are a good asset educate them & u will leave to be appreciated in life.
Pompolyongo Nshiwaililya
December 31, 2013 at 9:03 am
Though she is right in encouraging women to excel in their education,the choice of her words is rather questionable,she sounds like a frustrated and stranded virgin!
BEV
December 31, 2013 at 4:16 pm
KEKEKEKEKE WANDEPULA….I THINK U RIGHT THOUGH
ayoba
December 31, 2013 at 9:09 am
She is very right,some Zambian men are just atidye nao,bukandile fulu mufitwe.
kumasi
December 31, 2013 at 9:16 am
I thought she shud b happy coz gender equality women advocate for is being observed. Are u not happy dat rich women are dominating in marriages or u ar sad coz rich women jst like men ar enslaved fo material things by their partners.
maps
December 31, 2013 at 9:16 am
values of family life has been diminishing to the lowest levels
skipper
December 31, 2013 at 10:29 am
I sense bitterness in this woman are we safe? She must ve been dupped by these clever young men of lsk.
Mukombe Wamano
December 31, 2013 at 10:57 am
Is the Permanent Secretary herself married, if not then i understand why she speaks like this. Young girls take it easy before you are misled.
Nongo Boys
December 31, 2013 at 11:33 am
Just like most men at friday’s corner in lusaka who drink from as early as 09:00AM to late in the night as though they are working yet they are been sponsored by their wifes who are busy putting food on the table while they are out drinking then provide the service later in the evenings by bonking hard though drunk kikikikik, twali mishiba mukwai.
Mr Nice Guy
December 31, 2013 at 12:30 pm
THE MARIO ARE EVERYWHERE!!!!
Mailon
December 31, 2013 at 2:21 pm
I honestly hope this woman is one of the politicians who has taken over a technocrat’s job.If she is a technocrat herslf then God help us.
emptywallet
December 31, 2013 at 4:43 pm
some women are educated becoz of their husbands and
foolishly have moved on leaving her caring men for men with cash splash around.never trust a woman.explain why we ‘ve so many widows in Kafue?
kasaka
December 31, 2013 at 6:58 pm
please people keep your marriages and marry the person you love in order for you to enjoy the money you work for.Do not be cheated by these people coz them they treasure their marriages.Tts a commandiment from God.
bodybuilder
December 31, 2013 at 9:35 pm
Gold diggerz Guys
system
January 1, 2014 at 12:34 pm
Inga apwalala kumunkuta ! epofye Ba Vera baleba ntunta.inga ine nine nani? tafimonwamonwa, inga anjiswila amolu kumulya big man.