A senior Zambian government official has revealed that some political parties are soliciting sexual favors from prospective female candidates in exchange for their selection ahead of the August general election. Mainga Kabika, the civil service head of the gender office in the presidency, made this statement during a conference aimed at addressing issues of gender disparity in politics. She urged all aspiring female candidates to document these instances, which she described as unacceptable and detrimental to women's representation in politics. Kabika's comments align with a larger concern about the low participation of women in Zambian governance, where only about 15% of MPs are women. Beauty Katebe, the chair of the board of the Non-Governmental Gender Organisations Coordinating Council, echoed these sentiments, referring to the troubling prevalence of 'sextortion' during the nomination process. She emphasized the need for swift action against these practices to foster a more inclusive political environment.