Practice What You Preach!

The subject gender always seems to bring out strong emotions and heated debates. This also happened at the MS-Zambia Annual Meeting 2004.

By Clement Tembo, NewZ reporter

It is a hot Friday afternoon the first day of the MS-Zambia Annual Meeting 2004 in Siavonga at Kariba Inns. One of the participants Mr. Joseph Chitambala from Samfya District Council challenges the house after two serious discussions and plenary on gender mainstreaming.

Chitala says; “Most people who preach about gender in public don’t take it practical at household level in their communities. It so shocking they can’t even be role models!”

Before the storm calms Newz reporter Gladys Musaba from Eastern Province puts across her feelings: “Like here when the people in the forefront especially women who call themselves Gender practitioners leave this house, they will be acting parallel to their preaching,” every one laughs in agreeing to the example she has raised. “You are right!” shouts Mrs. Muyoyeta an expert in gender.

“Especially us women must take this as a challenge and let us learn tom practice what we talk about,“ she says.

As though affirming what Mrs Muyoyeta has said Chitala refers to the bible without quoting the verse, “just like the bible says, do what they preach but not what they do,” he says.

Some participants respond by calling for him to be more practical than biblical.

This session ends well such that the participants feel challenged and promise to stake up the responsibility of putting what has been discussed into practice.