By Chinoyi Chipulu
Chawama member of parliament Tasila Lungu says the Zambian people are hungry and cannot afford to buy certain essential commodities because of high prices.
Lungu was speaking on Hot FM Hot Breakfast Show on Friday, that most people in her constituency were calling her asking for food.
She said although she had been offering help, it was tough for her as she could not afford to help every one.
“People are saying they are hungry, so they are expecting us to buy them food and mealie meal. They can’t afford mealie meal because it’s very costly,” she said.
Asked how she had helped the people who called her, Lungu said she helped them from the little she earned.
“It is very tough, I don’t have any answer or solution for them but from the little we earn, sometimes we give them a little. On a daily basis, I get about five calls a day,” she said.
Asked if she felt overwhelmed as a female leader, Tasila said it was not easy, but encouraged more women to come on board in decision making positions.
“We are about 53 percent of the country as females, so we have to come to the table,” she said.
Tasila said female leaders faced a lot of challenges to access finances hence, there was need to make loans available to women.
“Most women are in a vulnerable position because they are not financially empowered. We have to make loans available to women because when a woman is in a position where she doesn’t have any power to earn, it becomes very tough,” she said.
Asked if she was re-contesting the chawama seat, Tasila replied in the affirmative and requested for support.
“I hope my people are listening. I’m re-contesting and I’m asking for support from my people,” she said.
And Tasila said there was need to increase salaries for councilors in the country as they received more demands from the community than members of parliament.
“As a councilor, I got K700, with lots of demands. Councilors have lots of demands and pressure hence the should be paid more,” said Tasila.
