LINDA SOKO TEMBO Writes
SOME residents of Lusaka’s Kalingalinga Township have complained of the rampant abuse of a highly potent alcoholic beverage known as junta in the community.
This are spirits that include whisky and brandy packed in pocket-size bottles selling cheaply at as low as K5 per bottle.
The alcohol content ranges from 43 percent to 65 percent, making junta dangerously potent.
Two bottles are enough to knock out two average adults.
Lagers range from five percent and 5.5 percent alcohol content for single bottle.
Some women told the Sun that it was disheartening to see young people, men and women drinking junta without restraint every day without thinking about their health as the product was a danger to their lives.
One of the women, Ester Mulenga, said there was need for Government to enforce the ban of tujilijili sachets in the community and regulate the manufacture and distribution of junta bottles because many lives, especially of the youths, were being destroyed.
Ms Mulenga said the lives of youths, men and women were being destroyed because of junta.
She said the situation was getting out of hand.
“People start drinking as early as 05:00 hours when the bars open,” Ms Mulenga said.
The junta bottles are readily available in stores, at markets, in make-shift stalls and on the streets.
“It’s sad that bars open by 05:00 hours and to make matters worse even married women are found in bars drunk. You wonder what time they look after their families. What time do they sweep and wash dishes in their homes?” Ms Mulenga wondered.
“They should ban tujilijili completely. The law should be enforced because the situation is getting out of hand. They should close down the companies that make them, please.”
She appealed to the Lusaka City Council to ensure that all bars opened at 10:00 hours and not 05:00 hours.
The law must bring the culprits to book.
Alice Chansa complained that junta was being sold almost in all the shops that were in the community.
Ms Chansa wondered how people could stop abusing the spirits if it was easy to access the commodity.
She said those who took tujilijili or junta such as women had lost respect in society.
Men were no longer responsible to take care of their families, and youths once drunk, attacked innocent people in the community beating and stealing from them in some cases even raping women.
“Tujilijili is affecting the minds of many people who consume it. Some are even going mad in our community, while some are losing their step. They can’t even walk properly because of it when they drink too much. This really hurts me a lot. We want Government to look into this matter,” Ms Chansa said.
For some years now Government has been locked in on-and-off battles with powerful cartels profiting from the making and distribution of the destructive beverage, which is gnawing at the very core of Zambia’s population – the youth.
