UPND Kafue Member of Parliament Miriam Chonya has taken a swipe at Government for blocking her and other women who wanted to conduct a fundraising walking last week to raise funds for vulnerable women in Kafue.

Speaking during this year’s International Women’s Day commemorations held at Khosa Stadium, Chonya said the international women’s event has evolved from just being a one day of celebration to a women’s week.

She disclosed that her office had planned to do a fundraising walk with her fellow women but was not allowed by government.

Chonya said the rationale of undertaking the fundraising walk was meant to be a practical way of responding to some of the needs of women in the district.

“Guest of Honour, my office had planned to do a fundraising walk with the women in the district but we were not allowed by your machinery. You may be aware that this Women’s Day has now evolved from just being a one day of celebration to a Women’s week. So through out the week, women have been doing different activities to commemorate this important occasion. My office had planned to undertake a fundraising walk with the women and we were not allowed by your machinery to undertake that particular activity which was supposed to be part of our commemorations for this Women’s week.That fundraising walk, Guest of Honour, was meant to be a practical way of responding to some of the needs of women in Kafue.We don’t know how much we were going to raise but even if it was going to be a K1, maybe it was going to help one woman somewhere as startup capital to sell more Rape on the market.” Chonya said

Chonya wondered if government had capacity to address the needs of 145 registered women clubs in the district.

“The District Women Association Chairperson was telling us that there are 145 women clubs affiliated to her organization, I’m not sure whether government can say it has capacity to address the needs of women in all those clubs. I’m also sure that there a number of women clubs out there that are not affiliated to DWA and with many needs which our effort could have helped to address. So for us Guest of Honour, that was a very important activity which I felt from my point of view that it was going to be very practical in terms of even responding as I have said to some of economic needs and in a practical way tackling some of the challenges our women are facing in addition to coming to listening to speeches on a day like this as is always the Tradition. Yes speeches are important they do inspire us but some times we need practical solutions.” Chonya said

She stated that most of the women who were dancing on Women’s day had no food to feed their families.

“We are here today celebrating, as we go back home , some of these women who have been dancing here, rejoicing, and yes we must do that but when we go back to homes some of us will arrive back with no food to cook for our children, will arrive back to homes with no medicines for our relatives that we are nursing in the hospitals. Those are the practice challenges that we would like to see your government tackle, Guest of Honour apart from using the machinery to try and frustrate the efforts of other players that think they also have a role to play in the economic development of this Nation.”

Chonya said there will be no tokenism to the plight of women adding that enough is enough in terms of playing lip service to the needs of women

“So l agree with you Madam Dorcas that Women should not be suppressed and even those that are given to rule and be the voice of women must not be frustrated. The challenges that we face out there are a common to all the women,it doesn’t matter whether you are PF, DP MMD or indeed if you are coming from where I’m coming which Madam Dorcas referred to as a wrong camp, I’m sure you were joking because I exactly belong where I belong by a matter of choice and conviction that where I come from we care so much about the plight of women, this is why I’m here otherwise, with the frustration I got early in the week, today, I would have stood by the principled stance of my party of not participating”

She called on all politicians to get back to their senses and be genuine leaders and provide correction direction to the people in order to preserve the peace of the nation.

“Guest of Honour, my party would have wanted to be here like every one else but they are constrained because of what I have already talked about. Nevertheless let me not spoil what is is supposed to be a very happy occasion but I thought I was obliged and also duty bound to speak my mind out without fear or favour. Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity to air out my views and let me congratulate you actually for a very well organised occasion”