Time for urgent action

Who has noticed that 2025 has come with a wave of strange and disturbing events?

Zambia has found itself grappling with moral and societal crises that have left families questioning their safety and the effectiveness of the justice system.

For the past four months of 2025, cases of child defilement, rape surges, mysterious deaths and shocking abductions have become topics of the day.

Among the most harrowing stories, is that of a 7-year-old cancer patient at University Teaching Hospital (UTH) who was defiled by her own father while she was lying helplessly on the hospital bed.Another shocking case is that of a gang defilement of a 5-year-old girl in Mtendere Compound.

According to reports, the child was brutally assaulted and repeatedly raped, resulting in severe trauma and medical complications.Another example of a disturbing incidents is that of a case in Lusaka’s Barlastone area, where a man, Danny Banda, was caught by his wife raping their 10-year-old child. Such acts of betrayal and cruelty have shaken the very foundation of humanity within the Zambian community.”

The rise in child defilement has profoundly shaken the sense of safety and trust within communities.

“Parents especially mothers, are increasingly anxious about their children’s movements, in schools and in homes,” said Theresa Njavwa Bwalya, Founder of Limitless Foundation.

Bwalya added that the persistence of these cases is both “heartbreaking and deeply concerning and needs to be dealt with immediately.

“We must move beyond reactive measures to proactive, coordinated, and community driven interventions,” she noted.

Amidst these child defilement cases, strange deaths have also become headlines in the media, stirring fear in the the heart of communities.

One example is that of a suspected murder of a body discovered burnt beyond recognition inside a vehicle on Sheki-Sheki Road in Emmasdale.In a report, Police Spokesperson Rae Hamoonga stated that the body was found in the driver’s seat, with the hands and legs bound together using wire, pointing to a possible homicide.

Another shocking death is that of a 85-year-old woman of Lusangazi district who was murdered by her grandson after she allegedly accused him of stealing Glycerin from her shop.

Elizabeth Zulu of Sandwe village in Chief Sandwe’s area was hit with a pounding stick by Mathews Zulu. These gruesome acts have left communities fearing the unknown killers lurking among them.

As if those deaths are not enough, Abductions have further fueled fear, with cases like that of a 20-year-old woman who was found tied under the bed in Lusaka’s John Laing Compound.

These tragic incidents are therefore a painful reminder that urgent action is needed to protect the children and restore dignity in communities.

And as the year progresses, the country must brace itself for continued challenges as the safety and future of the nation remains uncertain.

Written by Elizabeth Namfukwe

image credit : Great North Road Academy (FILE)

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