Traditional leaders have huge role to play
CHIEF MASEMBURA of Bindura’s condemnation of child rape and child marriages at the traditional burial of Mbuya Stella Chiweshe on Tuesday is welcome.
The chief said he was disturbed by the increase in cases of child rape in his area, especially involving relatives.
There have been sickening reports of children as young as nine years being impregnated. In fact, two 17-year-old relatives impregnated a nine-year-old girl in Bindura last year, while another nineyear-old gave birth in Bulawayo after reportedly being impregnated by a 13-year-old cousin.
We need more chiefs to speak up and use their powers as traditional leaders to rid their areas of such evil.
Too many kids are being violated while society turns a blind eye because most families don’t report cases of child sexual abuse to protect the family from embarrassment.
They prefer sweeping matters under the carpet and the only cases that come out or are reported involve certain complications which are difficult to conceal.
Traditional leaders must play their true roles and not turn a blind eye on vices in their area.
Chiefs should not underestimate their powers in addressing critical matters.
Child rights activists have been vocal about the issue and we call on chiefs to not only speak out, but act against sexual perverts in their localities.
Most child abuse cases occur in rural areas where most of the victims die in silence. It’s incumbent upon chiefs to know what’s going on in their areas of jurisdiction.
Chief Masembura said almost on a daily basis, police come to his area looking for perpetrators of child rape.
While they may not have arresting powers, chiefs can work hand-in-hand with law enforcement by reporting, even suspected cases of child abuse.
Every chief must ensure their area of jurisdiction becomes uncomfortable for these sickening sexual perverts.
One of the major causes of child rape are sangomas and their supposed get-rich-quickly lies that if a man sleeps with a virgin relative they will become rich. Some even suggest ritual killings of children.
Such archaic mentality must be discarded and any sangoma that suggests this nauseating method to anyone should equally be culpable of rape. They must be charged with rape and murder, put on trial and jailed.
We are sick and tired of these malcontents that have cost the innocence of so many kids in our country. Children’s future is being destroyed because of them.
Chiefs must use their influence to address such critical matters.
There are too many ritual murders and child marriages for us to remain silent.
Traditional leaders must complement the Government’s efforts in addressing such issues. They cannot just view themselves as custodians of our culture and tradition when all that is being violated.
If abuse continues at this rate, then our chiefs will remain custodians of nothing because all traditional values and customs would have been eroded.
Chief Masembura has set the ball rolling and we hope other traditional leaders will do more to tackle the vice of rape, child marriages and ritual killings in their respective areas.
Traditional leaders should be abreast with current affairs to ensure they protect their people.