Maravi

Hillary has set pace for women, says Munyinda

Hillary has set pace for women, says Munyinda
By Mwila Chansa and Masuzyo Chakwe
Tuesday June 10, 2008 [04:00]

NGOCC board chairperson Marian Munyinda has said former Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton has set pace for women in the US and other countries to aspire for greater heights politically. And United States Ambassador to Zambia Carmen Martinez said it was important that the leadership in the US reflects the mixture of the population.

In an interview, Munyinda said the fact that Hillary went that far in the party primary elections, she had inspired women who intended to take part in future political endeavours that it was possible to compete on an equal footing with men and possibly even beat them.

"I think that in future when women aspire for political positions, they will look up to her and the progress that she made. Although she lost, she was almost neck-to-neck as the win by Obama was very narrow," she said.

Munyinda said although the women movement was a little disappointed with Hillary's loss, they were happy that she had proved that women could be formidable contenders to men.

However, Munyinda said both Hillary and Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama were historical candidates who came from groups that were prejudiced by people and that the women movement understood that there could only be one winner at a particular time.

She however said it would have been good if Hillary clinched the nomination since the US was considered as a model for progress, democracy and aspiration of dreams.

"We would have expected them Democrats to practice what they preach. The fact that they have not come up with a female president is a misnomer," said Munyinda.

She observed that even countries such as Liberia and Sri Lanka had managed to have women assume the highest office in their countries and that had the US done the same, a lot of countries could have learnt from them.

And Ambassador Martinez said the most exciting thing was that there was a woman candidate who turned out to be very strong.

She said it was also exciting that there was a candidate of mixed heritage, in reference to Obama.

"He is a young man with an exciting future ahead of him, We also have an experienced candidate Senator McCain (John), very well respected with a lot of experience and a hero to his country but the most exciting thing about this is the turnout for the elections was so high especially among young people, for them, many of them, they are very excited, they say it may be the first time, they don't have a Clinton or a Bush running for presidency so it's the change of agenda so they are very excited about that," she said.

Ambassador Martinez said people tended to be complacent about democracy and would not turnout at all.

"But I think we are expecting a record turnout, record registration, voter registration, record registration in the primary so it is energising the whole political process and making many people who felt like they have never seen a minority candidate in the White House feel very exciting about it," she said.

Ambassador Martinez personally hoped that they would have a Spanish candidate.

"The Spanish are the largest minority in the United States, African-American are about 10 per cent, Spanish are about 15 per cent, Asians, Americans coming up close, hoping we will next time have an Asian-American candidate," he said

Ambassador Martinez said America was a very mixed country with so many people of mixed heritage.

"Whether they are in European group, African group or Asian group, we are all mixed, we are all immigrants except for the native Americans and many of us claim their blood in the veins.

I think what is important is that the leadership in the United States reflects what the mixture of the population is, it makes people feel included in their government," said Ambassador Martinez.

Labels: MARIAN MUNYINDA, WOMEN

posted by MrK @ 4:25 AM