First Lady Dr. Christine Kaseba-Sata has said there is need to urgently start meting out stiffer punishment on perpetrators of gender based violence to deter would be offenders.
The First Lady said government should hear the cry of families that have lost innocent children and women at the hands of defilers and institute severe punishment on offenders.
Dr. Kaseba, who expressed shock at the recent gruesome murder of a12 year old girl of Musopelo village in Keembe constituency of Chibombo district, said the whole incident was painful.
The girl was strangled to death after being defiled by a 33 year old man of the same village.
She said it was unbelievable that defilers have now decided to actually kill their victims after defiling them.
“It is sad to note that as a nation we have gone down to such levels where people are not only defiling and raping young children but that they are actually killing them,” she said.
Dr. Kaseba lamented that the act of defiling a minor is in itself an abominable act and resorting to killing the victim after defiling her was very painful.
The First Lady urged government through the Police and other law enforcement agencies to ensure perpetrators of defilement and other acts of gender based violence are brought to book while harsh punishment is slapped on the defilers.
She was speaking to journalists in Musopelo Village in Keembe constituency last night when she visited the funeral house to console the family of the victim, particularly her mother.
Dr. Kaseba, who had to endure more than five hours of driving on a bumpy and muddy road leading to the small village situated in the heart of Chibombo, said she felt for the family especially the mother hence her decision to go and mourn with her.
The grief gripped First Lady explained that when she read the story of the young girl in the newspaper, she felt pity for the mother of the deceased girl because she is herself a mother.
“I know how it is like to go through labour and you do not go into labour for someone to come and take advantage of your daughter nor do you go into labour for someone to come and kill your daughter. So my heart is with the family. My plea is to government to ensure stiffer penalties are in place to punish offenders,” she said.
Dr. Kaseba also donated an undisclosed amount of money and an assortment of items to the bereaved family to help during the funeral period.
And Gender Deputy Minister Emerine Kabanshi, who accompanied the First Lady to the funeral house, cautioned parents against leaving their young children alone at home as the trend gave defilers an opportunity to take advantage of the helpless children.
Ms. Kabanshi urged parents and guardians to always ensure their children are safe at all times as defilers are out on rampage.
Meanwhile, the grandfather to the deceased girl, Benson Muyuwa also called for harsh punishment for people that are defiling and murdering young girls and women.
Mr. Muyuwa said he wants government to take concrete steps toward ensuring that perpetrators of gender based violence are brought to justice.
Speaking earlier, father to the girl, Progress Muyuwa thanked President Sata and the First Lady for the support rendered to his family during the trying moment in their lives.
He said the visit by the First Lady to a remote village attests government’s love for its people regardless of their social status in society.
“The visit by the First Lady confirms that the Patriotic Front government is really a government that puts the welfare of its people whether rich or poor first. Who would have ever imagined in their wildest dream that the First Lady of this country would travel all these hundreds kilometers to come and console a poor village family?” he asked.
Meanwhile, President Michael Sata yesterday expressed deep sorrow and grief on the loss of the 12 year old girl who was strangled after being defiled in Chibombo district last Saturday.
“I am devastated to learn that a child aged 12, lost her life under very wicked and horrifying circumstances. A family has lost an innocent youngster and there is no expression that can capture the degree of the calamity that has befallen the surviving family members,” said the President in his message of condolences to the minor’s family.
Mr. Sata added that it was truly regrettable that such a wicked thing occurred.
The President hoped that justice would be done in the trial of the killer to deter would be offenders.
Mr. Sata urged the police and other law enforcement agencies to ensure that they fully apply the law to guarantee minors total protection from this kind of wickedness and other related offenses.
ZANIS
Its sad for our people to behave like that, but Dr Kaseba was on sent by Sata to that ka village for political mileage as u know that area is no go zone for PF, stop politicising funerals sha!!
That how tough it is to be in politics. You are damned for any gesture you make or dont make. You just cant win.
You Heartless Mindless Malicious *****ic Satanic Bloody Bas.tard!!!
I am trying to figure out where your kind of stupidi=ty comes from. If you are bitter about some issues in your life, attempting to misinterpreting another persons actions will not make your issues go away. Please deal with them constructively.
Someone shows genuine human sympathy and they are wrong? Tomorrow it will be you and your family that is befallen with tragedy. Rest assured, you will not get any sympathy from anyone as you do not think anyone else id deserving. What goes around, comes around..
Yes PUNISH THEM
We cannot be singling out crime. Crime is crime whether defilement or corruption. The system in this country is weak. People get away with too much crime so we should not be seen to work just on this single case. William Banda is still at large, Sata’s body guard was freed, All the Rupiah Banda’s family are still at large. Chiluba was never convicted. Prisons are just full of poor people but the real criminals keep going to court for years and getting acquitted. The list of people found in our prisons are people found smoking dagga, poachers, petty thieves etc.
deleted
Imwe naimwe, wat has this story got to do with Nevers Mumba?
Making political mileage out of a funeral??? Does this mean that the first lady will visit the funeral houses of all murder victims in the country?
FOOLISH KAPONYA,
THIS IS A VERY SAD INCIDENT OF ITS OWN AND YOU TALKING POLITICS IS BEING STUPID. I DON’T LIKE INSULTS BUT YOU HAVE FORCED ME TO RESPOND.STAY AWAY FROM SUCH BEREAVEMENTS IF YOU ARE DERIVING PLEASURE OUT OF IT.
u very right, alot of funerals i remember sata attennding a funeral i Vubwi in 2011 after loosing 2008 elections. Politics at funerals
Iwe Kaponya, this is a very serious matter and the First Lady is right to sensitise people. In some countries they would pass a law in this young victim’s name and do everything possible to stop recurrence of these cases. I would go further and suggest a public inquiry to establish what happened and why these cases have become so common. You wouldn’t wish anything like this on your worst enemy and do not forget all of us have daughters and sisters. They deserve to be protected. I just do not see the politics in this one.
are you sure this useless kaponya has children? just go through his posting again and you will tell.
How about starting with GBM BA kaseba?
Am equally grieved. I agree with the first lady, am moved let the perpetrators of GBV and would be defilers be punished severly if any thing hang until pronounced dead. Just imagine what the innocent girl went thru b4 losing ha life. she was nt sick but strangled unti ha last breath. Mwe Lesa isen bwangu.
No. 1. I think lets not politicise the funeral Someone lost the dear one and then you talk like that, put yourself in that family’s shoes. If it was your daughter (if you bear children) how would you feel. STOP POLITICISING FUNERAL MY FRIEND, THIS IS NOT THE TIME TO BLOGGER USELESS THINGS THERE, BE SYMPATHETIC MY BROTHER. Tomorrow it will be you or members of your family.
thanx
The act was horrific and devilish
Where was Shikapwasha, useless, at least the first Lady has seen it for her self the bad state of the road, BY stole the money for road construction, may be the first lady can tell the President to do something on this road. MMD won’t have it easy for not doing anything on this road. I am going to vote for PF, Noba lenje amubuke, open your eyes, Shikapwasha, takunga wamutola. useless person, he is finished man
Castrate them!
Out of ten defilers, eight are acquitted. It is better to acquit nine defilers who committed a crime than to convict one innocent defiler
Very sad that we are having defilers today…..i really wish the strongest punishment on this no bail plz.
Cases of defiling are on the rise. Case of rape are on the rise. where to this country. The church, the body of christ we need to double our effort to bring healing to our land.
#9 Nyeleti
I say AMEN to your kind words of love and emphathy.
Defilers must have their ntwex amputated…sharia law is what we need. Our leaders should alos lead by example, but batterers in the corridors of power, prison is for poor people!
2016 Sata steps down, Dr Kaseba takes over the PF family tree as President. That is the plan. You heard it from here first.
I am with the First Lady, you are not a parent, it will not have an impact on you, but if you are a mother or father, just think of a process involved and someone else comes and destryos your blessing God gave you. In the criminal code of Zambia, there should include ths suggestions by the citizens to protect the innocent from money lovers.
I think its a simple case let start castrating defilers.Once proven guilty of rape just castrate them and it doesn’t matter if they serve even 6 months in prison at least they will always be reminded of their sinful act.
There are no words to discribe what happened to this family. This is needless loss of life, families need to start addressing this issue with boys to deter them from falling into being self centred to a point of defiling others. As a nation this was a sad day, God’s blessing be with the family who lost the child. Laws are in place, it is just the way things are implemented in this country which is worrying. This is clear case of taking ones life at will hence he should face life sentance in perison, he should not see freedom again.
sad indeed… one wonders wat kind of brain cells these men are med of??? plz pipo thr are no politics involved wen th first lady vsits th funeral house,she is jst showng us hw touched and concerned she is….
Charity begins at home mama Kaseba, defilers, violators and abusers are one and the same. GBM must be an example.
The president pardoned criminals a few weeks after he entered state house. poachers inclusive!!!
is this stiff punishment??? i would understand if he pardoned only those that were politically jailed.
Heart felt condolences to the family of the deceased!!
# 1 comment is not fair. The 1st lady is not politicking! The situation is really bad that’s why she decided to go there. People let us be realistic whenever we are making comments for the public to read! Iam sure you must be a member of the known injured opposition party that always criticize whatever the ruling party has done!
The law is there but no serious enforcers. What a pity.This guy has commited murder and the noose should be placed around his neck.
anyongededwe…..
5min!!! 5min !!!5min!!! mayuka!!!! may the souls of the departed rest in eternal peace
Also Husband gamblers should be jailed, like her.
Every woman with a heart understands why Dr. Kaseba had to go there. Many ladies had they had means could have gone there to mourn with the fellow parents. One additional, please those women in the positions should also lobby for the law to be enacted to protect women and children by these play boys leaving children all over the country without support……
Most overused word in Zambia – ‘Actually’
Actually, the word “affordable” registers many more times and is actually 6 times more annoying because somebody actually just wants to get money out of you.
hung them or vitendeni period .poor kanene.
I am with you. Good point.
I am ashamed to be a man! Is this the kind of human beings we are? Somebody ought to do something about it!
Not only defilement but crime in general is spiralling out of control in zambia. stiffer penalties are only are small part of the solution, you have to reduce poverty and improve living conditions to get a grip on this.
All those who are against the first lady’s visit are *****s and shameless. Lets not do politics all the time and be serious with issues that affect innocent lives especially children. Some of you fools aren’t parents hence your stupid comments and politicking. Some of us who have girl children are so devasted with this gruesome murder. Gentlemen and ladies please try to be sober with your comments and keep politics out of such issues that affect our mothers and children
# 8 You really have a heart and imagining what the young soul went through before she lost her life is so painful. As I write tears streaming down my eyes mourning the young innocent life that was cruelly taken away by some heartless fool. It’s indeed shameful to be a man as we seem to be controlled by our dicks.
:(( stone them to death,,,,,,