NGOCC demands HH apology

The Non Governmental Organizations’ Coordinating Council (NGOCC) has demanded the arrest of former UPND National Youth Chairman Joe Kalusa’s for threatening to organize party youth on the Copperbelt to gang-rape FDD leader Edith Nawakwi in order to teach her to respect married men like UPND Hakainde Hichilema.

The women movement has also demanded that UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema retract his recent statement and apologize to Ms. Nawakwi and the nation at large for his sexiest attacks on the female gender.

NGOCC Chairperson Beatrice Grillo in a statement released to QFM News the media reports attributed to Kalusa are retrogressive not only to the democracy of the nation but also towards the fight against gender based violence and in particular violence against women.

Ms Grillo says Kalusa’s threats are a danger not only to Ms. Nawakwi but to society at large.

She says it is shameful for a public figure and supposedly future leader to engage him-self in acts of perpetuating violence against the female gender.

Ms Grillo adds that differences in opinions should not be the basis for threatening violence as amicable ways of resolving difference should always be sought.

She appeals and urges the youths in the political parties not to be used as tools of violence stating that the Zambian youths have much more to offer to the country than being brainwashed into violence.

She says NGOCC calls upon Kalusa as a matter of urgency to apologize to Ms. Nawakwi and the women of Zambia for the anguish caused by his careless threats.

Ms Grillo states that as the women’s movement, they have listened and read with dismay over the recent days unwarranted attacks on the FDD leader, adding that the unfolding tension between Ms. Nawakwi and Mr. Hichilema is a source of concern and unfortunate especially that it is has deteriorated to the use of unpalatable language.

She says NGOCC is of the view that the two leaders have a lot to offer and should therefore engage in dialogue in order to find a lasting resolve to their differences rather than insulting each other in the media.

Ms Grillo further states that it is NGOCC’s considered view that Mr. Hichilema sexiest attacks are uncalled for and should not be tolerated in this day and era given the fact that Zambia as a country has ratified various protocols and conventions on the elimination of violence against women.

[QFM]