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AU is chauvinistic, charges Emily

AU is chauvinistic, charges Emily
By Mwila Chansa
Monday February 04, 2008 [03:00]

AFRICA has missed an opportunity to have a very brilliant woman to chair the AU Commission, Women for Change executive director Emily Sikazwe has observed. And Non-governmental Organization Coordinating Council (NGOCC) executive director Engwase Mwale has said her organisation is disappointed that Dr Inonge Mbikusita-Lewanika has lost her bid to become AU Commission chairperson.

Commenting on Inonge’s loss, Sikazwe said her organisation was convinced she (Dr Mbikusita-Lewanika) would have been the perfect person to chair the AU Commission.

“This just goes to show how chauvinistic the AU can be, throughout, they have had men heading the commission but finally when they are given an opportunity to elect a woman, they still go for a man,” said Sikazwe.

She said the AU Commission had lost an opportunity to have a woman who would have fostered peace, unity and solidarity.
And NGOCC executive director Engwase Mwale urged Dr Mbikusita-Lewanika to continue fighting for the emancipation of the African woman.

“As NGOCC, we can only encourage her to forge ahead. She should follow the example of Abraham Lincoln who always aimed higher when he failed,” Mwale said.

“We did rally behind her and it’s unfortunate that she lost and I think it is also a setback for Zambians not to have one of our own to represent us at the AU.”

And when contacted for a comment, chief government spokesperson Mike Mulongoti said he could not comment on the matter because he had not yet received an official report from Ethiopia.

Dr Mbikusita-Lewanika who is also Zambia’s ambassador to the United States lost her bid to become AU Commission chairperson after losing to Gabonese Foreign Affairs Minister Jean Ping who won the election with 31 votes against her 12 votes.

Labels: AU, EMILY SIKAZWE, ENGWASE MWALE, NGOCC, WFC

posted by MrK @ 3:53 AM