Where are we heading to?

Where are we heading to

Am I right of hearing a News Presenter reading news story that a 50, years old man has been sentenced to five years Imprisonment with Hard Labour (IHL) for defiling a 14 years old girl? The answer is YES. If so, then why?

Reading through our county’s daily papers one is bound to read stories of evil such as defilement, rape and witchcraft stories which was unheard of in the past recent years.

These are some of the stories making headlines and a day can’t go by without being welcomed at home from a tiresome day hearing such stories either on a news radio or television why not being told by your relations.

One is puzzled why this has come to be the order of the day and why on increase? Attending to a court sitting one would not get surprised hearing such cases toppling the Court Registry files. If you happen to attend to the court proceedings other, don’t get astonished seeing people in the court dock wearing volumes of smiling faces while others laughing on top of their voices as if they were in a hall watching a drama or at a beer joint but no it is in a courtroom where there is need for a total silence at time when judge, interpretor, and a offender exchanges words.

I happened to spare my good time the other day, attending a court sitting. A 52 year old man had defiled a 6 year old toddler.

When the judge asked him why he had committed a such abominable sin on earth as he was a married man and issues of having sexual intercourse wasn’t a problem to him as he could even come up with a time table of having it with her marriage partner on daily basis if he wishes.

The reasons the man gave was that he was tired with his poverty status he was in and he had searched for ways on how he could get out of it for ages and the last formula which came in his mind was to ask his friends who used to ply the same trade of charcoal selling he was doing, but over the blue moon they had found their much talked about Manna from Heavens and are doing great presently. They advised him to seek way to a famous witch doctor within his community who had assisted them, and he could do the same if he ask for it. He really did as friends had advised him which also meant agreeing to all what would come from this magician man who told him inhuman directive of engaging himself in sexual acts with a female kid of 5 years old as solution to his request which he didn’t hesitate as this was the thing he was to do if he was to haul himself out from the poverty he was trapped in.

And he told the judge that if it was not that of the witchdoctor he had consulted to assist him in meeting his riches he couldn’t have done that. And begged the court to be lenient with him when passing the sentence on him as he said was taking care of his seven children and five orphaned children.

Being told the reasons, the judge slapped him with fives years Imprisonment with Hard Labour (IHL).

Stories like this one are hard for one to believed but they are really taking roots in our country Malawi. And no good convincing reasons are given by the culprits. Believe me it is responsibility of all Malawians in doing whatever solutions which could make such types of stories to an end or else it will soon fall on us or our daughters or sons.

Such kind of stories makes one to wonder: Where is Malawi heading to? How will be the situation like in near future?

Kids of less than a year are being defiled by their own caretakers. These have of so late mad Mothers in Malawi being afraid to leave their kids with male partners when ever they go away even if the know male partner. And if situation rises that call them not to do otherwise but to leave their toddler behind there are not at peace, thinking what has happened behind their back to their brood. And you may agree with me that such kinds of thoughts have the potential of dwindling ones productivity in one area or the other.

I tend to ask myself at all time: what should be the everlasting solution to these problem amongst us outlined above? Are evil deeds of defiling young children be solution for ending ones poverty? These cases have been bemoaned by some non-governmental organization in the country and indeed by the government itself but I come to believe that they are fall on closed ears of the listeners as they continue being heard.

Cases are heard almost daily of a man / woman having sexual affairs with his / her own offer spring in the name of getting rich.

Why is this taking part in the Hearts of Malawians? Who is to be blamed? All these are expectations questions in need of answers.


Where are we heading to?