British hangovers??

Marching, marching, marching - thats all we seem to do here in Zambia. Has anyone ever asked why? Why should a bunch of grown ass people wake up at 6 am on the morning of a public holiday to walk because its Womens' Day? Apparently, this is a hangover from our British masters which we have eagerly and religiously continued to perpetuate year after year, decade after decade, generation after generation. Is it a show of power and strength? Are the ranks of citizens meant to exhibit our nations capabilities to muster able bodied forces if we were called to war? Meanwhile, oftentimes the demographic group being celebrated still suffer many social injustices such as sexual based violence, unemployment, poor education (Youth Day) and poor representation. We walk/march maybe so that just for one day, we can forget some of the realities of our lives in Zambia, for one day we can feel special.

I'll give it this, since we started commemorating Womens' Day, it has been nice to get sms', phone calls and the occasional gift or newspaper ad telling me how appreciated I'am just for being a woman....the sore legs and skin darkened a tone or two deeper remain the whispers of what it was like to be special.The shirt is packed away, the jeans and sneakers folded and dusted.....but what have we really achieved? How has the gender agenda gained momentum as the theme was this year (why even have themes???). Do you listen to what we have to say? Or are our voices still being drowned out by the sounds of stomping marching feet on the next commemoration of another groups day.....