By NOEL IYOMBWA
A TRADITIONAL leader of Makolongo section in Kanona in Chitambo has expressed concern over the escalating cases of early marriages.
Mr Nason Mwelwa has said most parents in his area were marrying off their daughters at a young age to avoid sending them to school.
He said early marriages in the community had become a source of concern for the traditional leadership.
This came to light during the gender based violence meeting which was held by the Kabwe Adventist family health institute which took place at Kanona Health Centre.
Mr Mwelwa said it was saddening that many young girls in his area were involved in transactional sex and exposing their lives to many health hazards including early pregnancies.
He lamented that young girls were to blame because they had developed the habit of hooking up with men and truck drivers who often gave them money in return.
Mr Mwelwa pleaded with government to intervene in the growing tendencies of young girls engaging in transactional sex, the vice which was forcing them to abandon school.
“The number of early marriages here in Kanona among girls is worrying, young girls are being married off at young by their parents. Apart from that we have also have cases of prostitutions and illicit beer drinking on the increase. Young girls stand along the road waiting for would be customers mainly truck drivers so as traditional leaders we are appealing to government to intervene in this matter which has negatively affected Kanona community, “he said.
And Kabwe Adventist Family Health Institute-Kafhi Programmes director Miriam Siame has urged residents of Kanona to report Gender Based Violence (GBV) cases to relevant authorities.
She also reminded parents to make sure they did not hide gender based violence cases but report cases to the police.
