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LUSAKA. — Several individuals and organisations have commended President Lungu for appointing Inonge Wina as vice president. Former republican president Rupiah Banda said it is “very pleasing” that the country now has its first female vice president.

Mr Banda said in an interview yesterday that he supported President Lungu because he knew that he would make a good president.

“I supported him because he is a kind man who listens to the people and he has just done that by appointing a woman vice president,” he said.

Former first lady Maureen Mwanawasa said it is historical for the country to have a female vice president as it is what the women have been looking for.

“We know that she will represent us well because she is a strong and mature woman, we are not looking at PF but Zambia as a country,” she said.

And the late president Frederick Chiluba’s wife, Regina, urged other women to support VP Wina and wished her husband was alive to witness the country’s growing democracy.

In a separate interview, the Council of Churches in Zambia (CCZ) general secretary Suzanne Matele said her organisation is elated to have Mrs Wina as vice president.

Rev Matale said VP Wina deserves the position as she worked hard for it.

She urged the new VP to carry on with her spirit of hard work and address all issues affecting women and children in the country.

“We shall support her so that she can succeed in her work, she is an experienced woman and we would like to extend our congratulations to her,” Rev Matale said.

And Women and Law in Southern Africa (WLSA) is excited by Mrs Wina’s appointment as vice president and has called for more appointments of women in cabinet and other leadership positions in government.

“We are excited because we have been advocating for more women to be appointed in leadership positions as it is our mandate to improve the social and legal status of women,” WLSA national coordinator, Maureen Tresha said in a statement yesterday (Monday).

She said this is in line with the provisions of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) protocol on Gender and Development and the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women which Zambia signed and ratified.

And Women for Change (WfC) chairperson Margaret Maimbolwa said the appointment of Inonge Wina as vice president of Zambia is commendable and a golden jubilee present to the women of Zambia.

Dr Maimbolwa said in a statement issued yesterday that WfC has welcomed the appointment of Ms Wina and looks forward to more women appointed to decision making positions.

“We are hopeful that the government of newly elected President Lungu will appoint many more women to leadership positions as we endeavour to meet the Southern African Development Community (SADC) requirements,” she said.

Dr Maimbolwa said WfC is confident that Ms Wina will take cognisance of the voice of women who are stakeholders in the development of the country. — Zambia Daily Mail.