Female political aspirants asked for sex for selection, official says

LUSAKA — A senior Zambian government official is alleging that political parties have been asking prospective female candidates for sexual favours in exchange for selection ahead of the country's August general election.

The claim, reported by the BBC, came from Mainga Kabika, the civil-service head of the gender division in the president's office. She made the comments while addressing a conference of state prosecutors and said women had been in touch with her about what they were being asked to do.

I can confirm to you right now that I am actually receiving a lot of messages; some of them are already on record… they are reporting that they are already being asked for sexual favours in exchange for adoption [as candidates], and this is unacceptable.

— Mainga Kabika, head of the gender division in Zambia's presidency, via BBC

Kabika did not name the political parties involved. She appealed to female aspirants to record the cases.

Beauty Katebe, who chairs the board of the Non-Governmental Gender Organisations Coordinating Council, told the BBC that many women had experienced what she described as "sextortion" during the nomination process. She called for the establishment of a fast-track court to handle the allegations and for stiffer laws to discourage sexual harassment.

This situation is very troubling as it discourages many women from participating in politics, particularly as candidates.

— Beauty Katebe, NGOCC board chair, BBC

Background

Zambia has a significant gender imbalance in national politics. Around 15% of MPs are women, the BBC reports, and a statement from the presidency last year acknowledged "deep-rooted cultural and structural barriers" to women's leadership. Vice-President Mutale Nalumango is the most senior female political figure in the current administration.

Data from the president's office shows 28% of civil-service directors are women. Of the 36 chief executives of state-owned enterprises, just five are female.

Katebe acknowledged the cultural pressures that keep victims silent. Research on gender-based violence reporting shows that embarrassment and the absence of a confidential reporting channel are the two largest barriers to women lodging formal complaints. If allegations were publicly exposed, she argued, the practice would stop.

What to watch

Zambia's general election is on 13 August. Voters will pick a president, Members of Parliament, councillors and council chairs. Whether any political party publicly responds to Kabika's allegations — or whether the Electoral Commission or anti-corruption bodies open formal inquiries — will indicate how seriously the system intends to address the practice ahead of polling day.

Frequently Asked Questions

These are the questions readers have been asking since the BBC report. Short answers follow, drawn from the BBC account and the NGOCC's public statements.

Who is Mainga Kabika?

In short, Kabika is the civil-service head of the gender division in Zambia's presidency. The key is that she made the allegations on the record at a state-prosecutors conference, not at a partisan event.

What did Kabika say?

Simply put, she said political parties were asking aspiring female candidates for sexual favours in exchange for selection. According to her, multiple women had reported the practice, but she did not name the parties.

What is sextortion?

Sextortion is the abuse of authority to extract sexual favours. Analysis from gender-violence researchers shows it sits between corruption and sexual harassment — research data confirms it is widely under-reported because victims face both stigma and a power asymmetry with the perpetrator.

How under-represented are women in Zambian politics?

According to the presidency, around 15% of MPs are women. Data from the same office shows 28% of civil-service directors and just 5 of 36 state-owned-enterprise CEOs are female. The answer is that the imbalance is structural, not episodic.

When is the next Zambian election?

In other words, the next general election is on 13 August 2026. Voters will elect a president, Members of Parliament, councillors and council chairs in one cycle.

Sources

BBC News: Aspiring female Zambian politicians were asked for sexual favours, official says, 17 March 2026 (by Kennedy Gondwe, Lusaka).