Zambia’s 2026 election season is officially heating up, but for many women, the entry fee isn't just a nomination paper. It’s their dignity. While men worry about campaign budgets and voter turnout, a growing number of female candidates are facing a predatory barrier known as "sextortion." It's the silent, ugly exchange of sexual favors for political endorsements, and it’s happening behind the closed doors of party secretariats across the country.
This isn't just about a few "bad apples." It’s a systemic failure. Mainga Kabika, the Permanent Secretary of the Gender Division, recently dropped a bombshell by revealing her office has already received at least 10 formal complaints of sexual harassment from women seeking party backing. Think about that. Ten women were brave enough to come forward in a society that often shames the victim. How many hundreds more are suffering in silence because they’re terrified of losing their shot at leadership?
Why Sextortion is the Ultimate Gatekeeper
In Zambia, political parties are the ultimate gatekeepers. If you don't get the party’s blessing, your chances of winning a seat in Parliament or a local council are basically zero. This power dynamic creates a toxic playground for senior male officials—chairpersons, youth leaders, and "power brokers"—who view female ambition as an opportunity for personal exploitation.
They don't ask for money because they know many of these women don't have it. Instead, they ask for sex. It’s a "currency" used to bypass merit. Saboi Imboela, president of the National Democratic Congress and a veteran of the political scene, hasn't minced words about this. She’s seen capable, brilliant women get sidelined simply because they refused to "cooperate" with a senior official’s advances.
When we allow this to happen, we don't just hurt the women involved. We poison the entire democratic process. We end up with a leadership pool based on compliance rather than competence. It’s a direct hit to the quality of governance in Zambia.
The Numbers Don't Lie
Zambia already struggles with female representation. Only about 15% of our current lawmakers are women. That’s a staggering distance from the 50-50 gender parity targets we often talk about in high-level summits. We passed a law last year reserving 20 seats for women, but laws are just paper if the culture on the ground is predatory.
- 10 Complaints: Already filed with the Gender Division for the 2026 cycle.
- 15%: Current female representation in Parliament.
- 2026: The year Zambia faces a critical test of its democratic integrity.
Golden Nachibinga from the Zambia National Women’s Lobby has pointed out that these allegations aren't new. They've been a recurring nightmare every election cycle. The difference now is that the silence is finally breaking. But breaking the silence is only step one.
It’s Corruption, Not Just Harassment
We need to stop calling this just "unfortunate behavior" and start calling it what it is: corruption. Sextortion fits every legal definition of the word. It's the abuse of entrusted power for private gain. In most corruption cases, the "gain" is cash. Here, the gain is sexual access.
The problem is our legal system isn't quite ready for this. While the Anti-Gender-Based Violence Act and the Gender Equity and Equality Act exist, they often fail to capture the specific "transactional" nature of political sextortion. If there’s no physical violence, some investigators don't know how to handle it. That has to change. We need to treat a party official asking for sex the same way we treat a government official asking for a 50,000 Kwacha bribe.
The Victim Blaming Trap
Zambia is a conservative society. When a woman speaks up about sexual harassment in politics, the first question she often gets isn't "Who did this?" but "What were you wearing?" or "Why were you in his office at night?"
This culture of victim-blaming is the perpetrator’s greatest shield. It ensures that women like Venna Banda, who is currently eye-ing a mayoral seat, have to develop "thick skin" just to survive the nomination process. Inexperienced or younger candidates don't stand a chance against this kind of psychological warfare. They either succumb, or they quit politics altogether before they’ve even started.
Taking the Power Back
The Zambia National Women’s Lobby and several NGOs have finally stepped up by forming a dedicated committee to tackle this. They’ve even set up a toll-free helpline. This is a massive step forward because it gives women a safe place to report without the fear of their party immediateley finding out and killing their candidacy.
If you’re a woman running for office in 2026, or if you know someone who is, here is the hard truth: the system won't protect you unless you force it to.
- Document everything. If a party official sends a suggestive text or makes a "veiled" offer, screenshot it. Save the voice notes.
- Don't go alone. When meeting senior officials for endorsement talks, take a trusted aide or a colleague. Predators thrive in isolation.
- Use the helplines. The Gender Division and the Women's Lobby are actively looking for evidence to prosecute these cases. Your report could be the one that finally takes down a serial predator.
Political parties also need to grow up. It’s time for internal codes of conduct that aren't just for show. Any official found guilty of demanding sexual favors should be banned for life from holding any party or public office. No excuses. No "internal settlements."
We can't claim to be a "stable democracy" while half our population has to navigate a sexual minefield just to serve their country. The 2026 elections will be won on the ground, but the fight for the soul of Zambian politics is happening right now in the recruitment rooms. It's time to stop the sextortion tax once and for all.
