. Mutale

By SYLVIA MWEETWA –
CENTRAL Province Permanent Secretary Edwidge Mutale has challenged Zambian women to acquire land, which is line with the Government policy of empowering women.
Ms Mutale, however, cautioned them against including names of their husbands or boyfriends to avoid losing out.
Speaking during the Anglican Central Diocese mothers’ women conference in Fiwila area of Mkushi District, Ms Mutale said women should take advantage of the 30 per cent allocated for them by applying for land, which was their right.
Ms Mutale said the Government wanted to see more women own land, which could also be used as collateral to obtain loans from banks.
The Central Province PS said the Government would continue to encourage women to apply for land from the councils or Ministry of Lands as that was their entitlement.
And Ms Mutale advised women who owned land or property against including names of their husbands or boyfriends on the title deeds. She said doing so would deny them a right to own land or property.
“It  has  become common  nowadays  to see or hear stories of some women who were  changing title deeds of properties or pieces of land into their boyfriends or husbands’ names  and in the process they have been left out in the cold, this should not be allowed to go on,” she said.
And Ms Mutale said the Government attached great importance to the roles played by women, hence its move to empower them to better their lives. She urged the women to form clubs to access the funds.
And Anglican mothers’ union chairperson Daisy Moonga said the women had committed themselves to serving the needy, especially women and children.
Mrs Moonga said the union was running a community school in Kapiri Mposhi aimed at making education accessible to, especially vulnerable children.
She paid tribute to the Government for partnering with the church by constructing 10 houses for teachers.