LILLIAN CHIKANDI writes
@SunZambian
A concerned parent at Kabanana Village, in Chief Sikoongo’a area, in Chirundu District, is unhappy with some bar owners in the area who are in the habit of inviting bands to the area to perform during the week thereby disturbing school going children.
The parent, who only wanted identified as BanaKing, complained that the behaviour by the bar owners to also allow children into drinking places had rendered some children disobedient to their parents.
She said that children sneak from homes in the night to attend the musical shows at the bars and end up failing to attend classes in the morning because they are tired.
BanaKing blamed the behaviour by the bar owners for the increased number of school drop outs and unplanned pregnancies among children in the area.
“This situation is disturbing and so devastating,” she stated.
She has appealed to the police and other relevant authority to come on board and correct the situation.
She narrated an incident which happened on Tuesday when some children were sent away from school because they could not concentrate because they were fatigued after attending an overnight music show at a named local bar.
She described the incident as painful because the children were being disturbed despite their parents paying lots of money to the schools in order to secure them a better future.
Bana king also appealed to the council to constantly inspect bars to ensure they operated according to regulations.
Chairman of the headmen in Chief Sikoongo’s area, Peter Choonga, also expressed unhappiness about the situation.
Headman Choonga confirmed receiving a report on some bar owners inviting musicians to perform at their premises during the week despite discouragement from the local leadership to do so.
Headman Choonga, who described the practice as disheartening, said such shows were spurring confusion in the area because they are being attended by married people and the children.
He said that the normal practice, for the area, is for the bar owners to first notify the chief prior to securing permission from the council to host a music show.
He promised to engage other headmen on the way forward on this “very serious matter.”