By CLEVER ZULU –

PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu’s decision to appoint Inonge Wina as Zambia’s first female Vice-President is the best thing that ever happened to Zambian politics since independence 50 years ago, Patriotic Front (PF) general secretary Davies Chama has said.
Mr Chama said Mr Lungu must be commended immensely for opening a totally new chapter in the politics of Zambia as he strives to uplift many Zambians out of the poverty rut by a choosing a mother and a grandmother as his trusted lieutenant.
“As a party in office, we expect that the womenfolk in Zambia will identify President Lungu from now on, as a leader who believes in equality and justice without gender bias,” Mr Chama said.
Mr Chama said the message President Lungu was sending to everyone within and outside the party was that hard work will always be recognised.
“If you work hard and go beyond your call of duty for the sake of moving the nation forward, your work will be recognised,” he said.
Mr Chama added that the party under Mr Lungu would lead in many things local and international.
Mr Lungu had already scored a first by releasing the draft Constitution and setting up a technical committee to move the process forward with the appointment of Ms Wina was the crowning glory on what kind of leadership to expect from the newly elected President.
“At this point and time, I would also like to commend the entire party membership and all those that voted for Hon Lungu and also to inform them that their confidence is well placed, its non negotiable and it shall not be betrayed,” he added.
Ms Wina joins a short list of influential women in politics in Africa such as Winnie Madzikidzela Mandela, Nkhosazana Dlamini Zuma who was deputy President in South Africa and also saved as Foreign Affairs Minister of South and others such as Graca Machel.
Others Ms Wina can now stand on the same pedestal with are influential women such as Serlif Johnson, the President of Liberia who became the first African female President.
“Once again I would like to re-affirm President Lungu’s call for unity and hard work that cuts across tribe because there is ‘no honey moon’. We get back to the drawing board now, campaign hard for 2016 and score a bigger victory,” Mr Chama added.