Women’s Lobby vows to support Kabwela

Women’s Lobby vows to support Kabwela
Written by Margaret Habbuno
Saturday, July 25, 2009 7:42:24 PM

ZAMBIA National Women's Lobby (ZNWL) chairperson Tamala Kambikambi has vowed to support Chansa Kabwela because she did not publish the photographs of the woman in labour.

In an interview with Radio Phoenix last Wednesday, Kambikambi said the organisation would support Kabwela because she did not publish the pictures of the woman in labour but instead sent them to a few selected eminent individuals in the country. Kambikambi said the ZNWL had seen the issue in a different way, saying Kabwela had felt for the women and that is why she never published the pictures in the newspaper.

"This issue the way we have seen it from the National Women Lobby group perspective is that Chansa Kabwela when she received those pictures, she felt for the women because that was at the height of the strike by the medical personnel,"Kambikambi said. "She did not publish them but sent them to a few selected eminent individuals and decision makers in this country."

She said Kabwela had done a noble job by sending the said photographs to selected people.

"Chansa took those photographs to people who she believed would help to deal with the impasse and hence deal with the striking workers to come back and curb that problem that was seriously affecting the women. So to us we felt she was doing a noble job and it was unfortunate that there was a lot of debate that ensured a lot of half information, which went around where [to] some ...it was being seen in a different light," she said.

Kambikambi said the ZNWL would support Kabwela because she felt for the women who suffered during the period of the protracted strike.

"So we just want to tell you that we will support the young lady because she felt for the women who were suffering and she felt that was a way in which she could agitate those who could make certain decisions," said Kambikambi. "We know that there are colleagues who felt the means did not justify the end."

Recently, police arrested and charged Kabwela with circulating obscene matters with the intention to corrupt morals of society contrary to section 177 1 (b) CAP 87 of the Penal Code.

The pictures of a woman in childbirth were not published by The Post but were instead sent to Vice-President George Kunda, Secretary to the Cabinet Dr Joshua Kanganja, Minister of Health Kapembwa Simbao, Women for Change (WfC), Non-Governmental Organisations Coordinating Council (NGOCC) and the Archbishop of Lusaka to enable them address the problem of the strike by health workers which lasted for over a month.

Section 177 1 (b) CAP 87 of the Penal Code states that: "Any person who - (b) imports, conveys or exports, or causes to be imported conveyed or exported, any such matters or things, or in any manner whatsoever puts any of them in circulation is guilty of a misdemeanor and is liable to imprisonment for five years or to a fine of not less than fifteen thousand penalty units nor more than seventy five thousand penalty units."

Kabwela 29, who appeared before Lusaka chief resident magistrate Charles Kafunda pleaded not guilty to one count of circulating obscene matters or things.

Particulars of the offence were that Kabwela, between June 1 and 10, 2009 in Lusaka did circulate two obscene photographs tending to corrupt public morals.

Lusaka deputy division prosecutor, Anderson Simbuliani represented the state in the matter while Remmy Mainza, George Chisanga, Chileshe Kaoma and Sam Mujuda represented Kabwela.

The court then set August 5, 2009 as the date for the commencement of trial, August 24, and September 8 for continued trial respectively.