By ALEX NJOVU
SUSPECTED former soldiers from neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo
(DRC) are allegedly terrorising small-scale farmers in Mufulira’sMupena
farming settlement and are marrying Zambian schoolchildren, some as
young as nine years old.
And 10 girls from Mupena Basic School, 28 kilometres from the Mufulira
central business district, have been married off by their parents and
taken to the DRC.
This came to light when Copperbelt commissioner of police Mary
Temboaddressed residents of Mupena village in Mufuliraon Thursday.
MsTembo assured the residents that police will enhance security in the area.
MsTembo said it is unfortunate that the farmers have abandoned their
fields in Mpepamu, about seven kilometres from the DRC, for fear of
being attacked.
“Some Zambians are working with people from DRC to attack our people in
this area. The people are attacked, beaten and they have since abandoned
their farms for fear of being attacked. Sometimes they are attacked
during the day because these criminals move with guns,” MsTembo said.
She said police will soon put in place a checkpoint to enhance security in the area.
“It is sad that girls as young as nine and 10 years are married off and
taken to the DRC. This is bad and it must stop forthwith. These girls
are future leaders, if my father had married me off at a tender age,
today I was not going to be the Copperbelt commissioner of police,”
MsTembo said.
She urged the residents to desist from harbouring criminals.
“I am assuring you that by next week, we will bring the police here
(Mupena). The vehicles that are being stolen from various parts of the
Copperbelt use Mupena road and we want to ensure that all criminal
activities are stopped,” MsTembo said.
And Mupena community chairperson Gideon Mwanza said residents are allegedly attacked and women raped by the criminals.
“We are attacked at any time and our women are raped because these
people come with dangerous weapons. Not too long ago, they damaged
Mupenaschool and the clinic,” MrMwanza said.
Mupena Basic School head teacher Douglas Chama told MsTembo that the
number of girls at his school is reducing and pleaded with parents not
to connive with Congolese nationals to marry off their children.
He said 10 pupils from his school as young as nine years old have been married off and taken into the DRC.
Ms Alice Mwamba, a resident, also said many women and children are being attacked by armed criminals.
“These criminals are former soldiers, sometimes we run in the bush for fear of being killed,” Ms Mwamba said.
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