FORMER religious affairs minister Reverend Godfridah Sumaili has described President Hakainde Hichilema’s appointment of only five women out of 40 ministers as shameful and a betrayal of his promise to promote women’s participation in leadership. Rev Sumaili argues that women have once again been sidelined. Last week, President Hichilema appointed 26 Cabinet ministers and 10 provincial ministers, bringing the total number of ministerial appointments to 40, including four made earlier. However, only five of the 40 appointees are women. Commenting on the appointments in an interview last Thursday, Rev Sumaili accused President Hichilema of failing to fulfil the expectations he had created when advocating for greater inclusion of women in decision-making positions. “For me, I look at it as robbery....