Wednesday 23rd December 2020 Council of Churches in Zambia General Secretary Reverend Canon Emmanuel Chikoya Statement on the Alleged Raping of a 17-Year-Old Kamanaga Boy

Council of Churches in Zambia (CCZ) Communications Officer Michael Mazakaza

By Michael Mazakaza (Mr)

COUNCIL of Churches in Zambia (CCZ) General Secretary (GS) Reverend Canon Emmanuel Chikoya has received with shock the alleged defilement of a 17 year old boy of Kamanga Township in Lusaka by his female employer of Salama Park in Lusaka where the boy worked from.

Reverend Canon Chikoya found it alarming to learn that the husband to the woman in question was part of the abhorrent and
illegal act as he is reported to have threatened to kill the boy if he resisted as he filmed his wife sexually molest him.

For whatever reasons that motivated this couple to do such a shocking act, Rev. Canon said the Council of Churches in Zambia condemned in strongest terms the barbaric and traumatizing act by the couple.

“We would like to call upon the Zambia Police to move in and arrest the couple and further investigate this matter thoroughly in order to establish the motivation of this shocking ordeal. We are also very alarmed to learn that Police Officers who received this development at Mwansa Kapwepwe Police Post mocked the minor for not having alerted neighbours by screaming for help,” Rev. Canon Chikoya cried foul.

Rev Emmanuel Chikoya with Dr Suzzanne M’membe Matale and Bishop Sydney Sichilima pix by Derrick Sinjela

The CCZ General Secretary regretted the behaviour by the said Police Officers to mock the minor describing the act as unprofessional and unacceptable.

“The Zambia Police ought to be professional at all times in the execution of their duties by being friendly to boys and men in the same manner they are friendly to women and girls when gender based violence cases such as this one are reported to them,” prayed Rev. Canon Chikoya.

Rev. Canon Chikoya says anyone who forces another to have carnal knowledge of them commits a crime, regardless of who the victim might be.

The CCZ General Secretary commended the named boy for his courage to report the matter to the Police so that the law can take its course.

“We would also like to take this opportunity to call upon all men and boys who are victims of Gender Based Violence in their homes, places of work or at school to come out in the open
and report to nearest Police Stations, Faith Based Organizations or NGOs so that can be helped,” advised Rev. Canon Chikoya.

Rev. Canon Chikoya says CCZ understands that society believes men by nature cannot be victims of gender based violence, a notion which has caused untold misery by male victims or survivors of Gender Based Violence for years.

“The truth is that there also men and boys who have been abused by women in their homes, school, places of work etc. but have been quiet for fear of stigma, hence our call on them to report relevant institutions for help,” observed Rev. Canon Chikoya.

“We would like to reiterate that no human being, be it young or old, deserves to endure such kind of humiliation and trauma. As a Church Mother Body, we stand and will continue to stand against all forms of Gender Based Violence in Zambia and beyond. The family of the abused boy is in our prayers, praying that God will be the source of their comfort and the much – needed healing. We are also praying for the boy to recover from this traumatic ordeal as he grows up into a young man,” prayed Rev. Canon Emmanuel Chikoya.

National Guidance and Religious Affairs Minister Godfridah Sumaili with GS Reverend Emmanuel Chikoya at CCZ, EFZ, ZCCB and ICOZ Press Brief Sat 28 March 2020 Derrick Sinjela