Sweetest Taboo2 pt8

‘And the top stories once again. A young man was today left at the mercy of an angry mob of street vendors who beat him and another woman within an inch of their lives. It is stated that these two people were dropped off by a league of women wearing T-shirts stating that the accused had defiled two young girls and his mothers. The T-shirts written sweetest taboo provoked an angry response instigated by the driver of the car who on loud speaker instructed the crowd to do what they like with this paedophile. Clare Mwanza has this report. Clare.’
‘Thank you Dorothy. I am standing here outside the market where the young man was dropped off wearing nothing but his underwear and a T-shirt that had a picture of him kissing the woman he was dropped off with in a violent manner. The young man begged for his life as the street vendors picked all sorts of objects from streets to throw at him and beat him. Women and children also joined in with the madness and when the young man tried to escape, the whole line of street vendors closed in on him and ate him alive. After speaking to a lot of the people here, you will tell the atmosphere is still tense and very angry;
[Vendor being interviewed] eh mummy kwachiba ka madam so pa loud speaker katweba ati chikamba uyu, baiche atemwa. (A young woman on loud speaker told us this dickhead likes children) ilyashi ilyo tatufwaya mummy awe twachimuponona saana na nina wakwe. Kwachishala fye so no bwamba nga twachilepaula (We don’t like to hear such stuff and if we had our way we would have ripped his dick off)’
‘So what stopped you? Why did you not cut his private parts off?’
‘Ka mayo kachilanda ati ubwamba ubu, kukashila kalepule akene (the lady told us to leave the private parts for her to reap off herself).’
‘The woman who was stated to be the victim’s mother had her hair cut off and hundreds of men strip her naked and beaten then left her in her naked state for the world to see. The women’s group who had orchestrated this mob stood at a distance and watched. After a while the women commanded the mob to disperse by a gunshot to the sky. The women then lined up in front of the crowd and their speaker described the ways that these two had allowed for two young children to be defiled and beaten continuously for a week simply because he was a pastor’s son. At hearing this, the mob bombarded the two again leaving them in a pool of blood before police arrived on the scene. Several women had been recruited and left with this new group of merciless empowered women to fight against rapists in Zambia. The sentiments here are that the young man and every rapist should be castrated for such a heinous crime.
Zambia police said that they had to release the two from custody as there was not enough evidence to hold them. It is said that as soon as the two left the police station the car with the ladies in took them away. This is Clare Mwanza reporting in Ndola.’
‘Thank you Clare. We knew you would come in handy. So you see Trevor, we can leave you here in order for you to bleed and suffer and possibly die. But no we are not that cruel eh?’ Towela says. ‘No we will let your mother wash you and put some salt on those wounds as well as hers. You two share such a special bond. When she is done washing you, you can wash her because now you know her very very well’ with that she collects the bucket of urine that has been set aside and hands the frail mother to pour it on Trevor and vice versa. The stench is incredible. Trevor is almost numb to the pain.
Bana Linda stands up to speak.
‘I think we need to let him go now. Perhaps he has learnt a lesson. The bible says we need to learn to forgive and let things go. Surely we would not want to be punished this way for our sins. Did not Jesus say he who has no sin cast the first stone?’
At this the crowd of women are furious. There is an uproar about the merciless and unkind way Trevor behaved. Word has it that this has not been the first offense but what makes them even more angry is the child who is now gone. Towela stands up and orders the crowd to be silent.
‘It is not in my place to say what the mothers who have lost so much are feeling nor is it in my place to count myself more righteous than anyone. But you have spoken well Bana Linda. Tell me…if you died today and did not confess your sins…what punishment awaits you? Oh hell fire right? Would this be for an hour, a day or what? No it would be for a lifetime. Tell me, did not those who sinned by selling in the temple get punished with a whip? Do we as individuals think if we steal or embezzle funds we would get away with it simply because the police and law keepers have sinned before? Yet they lord over us and yes they punish us for crimes because that is the way we keep order!’ The women agree ferociously.
‘Now this man here, refuses to even confess. Despite everything he refuses to even apologise. Yet letting him go is sending a message to others that they can keep hurting our children by hiding under the umbrella of God and defiling them! I appreciate your sentiment and you are free to leave but the law of this land forgets we are finite individuals. You ask us for the one thing in this world we do not have. You ask us for time. We are assisting to clean out the mess of this town and this country because the children are our future. If you take me to the police to deal with me for a crime it is still considered casting the first stone!’ Towela says confidently.
I decide to put an end to this charade and take my blade. Adeleke grabs hold of the penis and in one clean sweep, he is castrated. Trevor passes out from the pain. I feel like I could leave him for dead but I would like him to remember every time he tries to rape someone, the enormity of the crime he has committed. The crowd goes up in fits of praise as they hold the penis and insist that the mother eats it. Towela orders for it to be fried but I stop it. I have a better idea. I ask Towela and her nurse friends to cease the flow of blood and transfer him to the hospital for medical attention. Death is not on the cards for me. She obeys and does as she is told.
As the nurses attend to Trevor, Chanda is at my feet begging for mercy. Apologising in every language that she knows and finally showing some remorse. The ladies thrilled with their mission decide to post the penis anonymously to the police with a note stating this is what should happen to the men who rape our females.
‘We are Africa. We bear the fruit of Africa. Not for the men to exercise their strength on. For the very same children and young people raped are, children, wives and mothers of our nation. The strength that rides on their shoulders is derived from the respect they should be accorded. We are Africa.’
‘Towela, you have done us proud! How can a man piss on our heads and then tell us it’s raining? This young man is not even remorseful yet about what he has done. His mother has apologised, whether it is because of fear or genuine remorse we do not know but we are going to make sure she fulfils and earns her apology by apologising fully to the young girl who she offended. A child must feel safe in this community and if she cannot feel safe amongst us, her fellow women, how can she grow to be a woman of substance?’ her eyes roam the room demanding an answer for a rhetorical question. Her arms a Kimble she continues her speech. ‘I have instructed the nurse on duty that they should give Trevor a special tattoo on his bum to state who he is oooo! This kind of demons cannot think they will roam free in this town. They can try elsewhere where people think they should wait till judgement day, but I for one I am not going to sit back and risk my children getting sick because someone thinks he will have to wait till judgement day. No!! They will not kill my children for me. If my child wants to get sick, let it be her choice. Chai!! Wonders shall never cease. Make sure each and every tree in this town is stamped with who this man is.’
After all is said and done, we eat drink and celebrate our victory. My daughter will have to go through immense counselling to put these demons behind her. I just wish Janet had the same chance. ‘It is all over now Mwaka. The police are going to arrest Trevor once he is done with his treatment. Don’t worry about Brandon, he will understand when he gets back’ Towela reassures me.
‘I am leaving him Towela. I am taking my children with me and I am leaving him. I need a man who will be a man even when all hell breaks loose. I need a man who will fight to the death for his family’.
‘I was hoping you would say that’ I smile and embrace my two friends Towela and Khetiwe. My heart goes out to Khetiwe because I know she of all people is suffering the most but even she smiles wide and bright. Something I have not seen in a while. There is hope for the future. There is hope for my Shey, my Clara and all the children, young girls and women out there.

''Zambian MPs propose castrating child rapists

November 25 2003 at 02:06pm

Lusaka - Legislators have recommended castrating men who rape children in Zambia where incidences of the crime rose by 68 percent in the first half of this year.
Members of parliament had given initial approval to the measure, allowing it to go for cabinet consideration, a parliamentary official said on Tuesday.
Police statistics show the incidence of child rape in Zambia jumped 68 percent to 400 cases in the first half of this year compared to the same period in 2002.
A widespread belief that having sex with a minor can cure Aids has exacerbated the problem.
Amos Nakalonga, chairperson of the Committee on Legal Affairs, Good Governance and Human Rights said in a report seen by reporters on Tuesday that the committee "recommends that men who rape children must be castrated - we are upholding people's views".
The parliamentary official said the recommendation was likely to be included in draft legislation but did not say when parliament was likely to debate the amendment further.
Parliamentary committee reports often act as guides to the government when it introduces or amends laws.''