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Various Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), the Church, musicians, and students have petitioned the government to amend the law to introduce stiffer punishments for perpetrators of defilement.
The petitioners are calling for a revision of the law to ensure that individuals accused of defilement and rape are not granted police bond or bail, and are excluded from the parole list for prisoners.
Non-Governmental Gender Organisations Coordinating Council (NGOCC) Chairperson, Beauty Katebe, presented the petition on behalf of the groups at the Vice President’s Office in Lusaka on Thursday.
Among their demands, the petitioners called for those convicted of defilement to undergo surgical castration.
Vice President, Mutale Nalumango, accompanied by Justice Minister Princess Kasune, received the petition and assured the petitioners that the government would address the issue with the urgency it deserved.
“The issue of defilement concerns everyone, and citizens must take a stand against this vice,” Nalumango said.
She reiterated government’s commitment to amending the law to include harsher penalties for defilement perpetrators, noting that laws must evolve to reflect societal needs.
Zambia Association of Musicians (ZAM) President, Brian Bwembya, supported the petition, stressing that those accused of defilement should not be granted bail or police bond.
Artiste Sister D echoed this view and called for a public list of individuals convicted of defiling children.
“When I was growing up, my father was a chairman, and we would know everyone in the community. Now, we don’t know who is coming to our churches or teaching our children in schools. Can we have a list of those defiling our children?” she asked.
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