THE Copperbelt Young Women Christian Association (YWCA) has described some boarding houses in Kitwe as sex dens and called on the Kitwe City Council (KCC) to shut down outlets which are allowing both female and male students to share the same facilities.
And KCC acting public relations manager Dorothy Sampa expressed concern with some boarding house owners who are allowing male and female students to share the facilities.
Copperbelt YWCA coordinator Sharon Chisanga said in an interview during the week that some boarding houses in Kitwe have allegedly been turned into sex dens and that this is frustrating the work of many stakeholders who are working hard to reduce the HIV infection rate.
“It is sad that some boarding houses in Kitwe have been turned into sex dens because the owners of the boarding facilities are allowing both male and female students to share the same boarding houses. We are talking about people who come from different backgrounds and sleeping under one roof. These boys and girls are having sex in these rooms, something must be done,” Ms Chisanga said.
She said there is no way male and female students can be allowed to sleep in one boarding facility.
She called on the council to regulate the usage of boarding facilities.
“The continued shortage of accommodation in most institutions of high learning in Kitwe in particular and the Copperbelt in general has forced many landlords to turn their houses into boarding houses, and in the process, turning these houses into brothels where sex activities take place at will among young people. We must not expose innocent youths to sexual activities,” she said.
She said monitoring mechanism must be put in place to ensure that young people don’t indulge in illegal activities.
“There are immoral activities taking place in these boarding facilities. They are simply sex dens which are contributing to the increase in HIV/AIDS infection rates. This must be stopped. Some parents and guardians don’t even know that their children share the same boarding facilities with people of opposite sex…” she said.
And Ms Sampa said in an interview on Wednesday that the council is concerned with the mushrooming of boarding houses which are not registered with the local authority.
Ms Sampa said KCC is equally concerned that both male and female students are allowed to share same boarding facilities.
She said chances are high that illegal activities take place in these boarding facilities.
“We are doing an audit of all boarding facilities in Kitwe and scrutinizing them. Those that will not be found suitable will be shut down. We are going to apply the Public Health Act and the Town and Country Planning Act. We cannot allow such a thing to continue where female and male students are allowed to share the same facility,” Ms Sampa said.
She advised the owners of boarding facilities to work hand-in-hand with the council in addressing vices which are detrimental to the growth of communities.
“Some of these boarding houses are overcrowded. There is no ventilation, and they are risking many lives. They should always inform us when they turn their houses into boarding houses so that we start treating them as commercial properties,” Ms Sampa said.
She said the council will not hesitate to deal with people who are failing to comply with the law.
“Some people have argued that how about at home where women and men live in one house and share all the facilities including toilets but here we are talking about people who come from different places around the country. For women they have their own needs and their biological make-up is different…they just need dignity. We will not allow this situation to continue,” Ms Sampa said.
Sad news right there.
The PF mess.
Why not go for parents for those students, and student themselves? Can’t they reorganize themselves that they swap rentals?
And its sunday today, its not good to discuss fonication.
@ Nostra,
Hihihihi, funny mwe.
Are the boarders over 21 years of age? That’s all am saying.
Utumipila tatu bomba.
I was at university in Europe for 5 years and stayed in shared male/female hostel. It was not a big deal, I did not see any pregnant student for 5 year nor did anyone get HIV. All students had medicals every semester. I am not sure what the fuss of share hostels in Zambia is all about?
Iwe ka Nostradamus! So when HH becomes president there will be no sex?
Ba Dorothy! In an application of healthy Act, please extend your visit to RATSA Kitwe office and check if the ventelation in the cashiers’ office is adquate for a crowd of people being served there. The windows are fixed/do not open and the only Air Con does not function properly. As a result, people are being exposed TB infection risks
What a degradaion of morality!!! I am hating to be Zambian…right now. The rush for development is too much that the aspect protection our sovereign morality has died down_now we live like a WEST or as the WEst wants
Just encourage our young people not to indulge in pre-marital or casual sex. Students have sex even on campus. Boarding houses have mushroomed because of shortage of campus accommodation. This situation obtains even in developed economies. Therefore the reason advanced for rampant sex in boarding houses is not correct.
Its another way of doing practicals. Those shud be encouraged
agree with you Spartan. 2 issues here: Sex education and shortage of approved accommodation on/off campus.
Good to see that she has included the regulation of these slum landlords by the authorities as part of the solution. I’m sure these boarding houses are overcrowded and not fit for these young people to inhabit.
Boarding houses can be there but there ought to be some order .
Mixing of female and male students happens even here in Europe(i actually used to prefer to have female housemates during my bachelor and master studies because they are generally clean when it comes to keeping the kitchen and toilet tidy compared to males).I think those students should just know what is important to them at the end of the day.The boarding houses should also be checked if they are fit for students lodging.
I can relate to the set up you allude to. While in the UK I also stayed in a college hostel comprising 5 men and 2 ladies. Your last sentence highlights the more important thing the council should be focusing on regulating rather than the gender. I once visited my young sister at a boarding house in Kalundu (Lusaka) and the situation was pathetic as there were close to 20 girls sharing 1 bathroom, kitchen and toilet.
Have ever heard of backpackers?
I spent all my two years sharing accommodation with female forks. I see no problem with that. Those chaps they can screw each other anywhere anyhow
Dorothy Sampa how is it your business if 2 consenting adults have sex? This attitude of moral policing in Zambia should stop. We must accept the reality that most people in relationships whether married or not have sex. As human beings we are sexual beings and closing down boarding houses will stop students from having sex. Even within the university and college dormitories students have sex. How about the guest houses which have mushroomed allover the major cities and towns what do you think they are for? The best advice you can give is to tell youths to practice safe sex .
exactly!! safe sex needs to be practiced for those who can abstain even better. pipo have sex in cars too are they goin to ban importation of cars?
Mama Sampa you are not addressing the cause of the problem you have perceived. It is not the mixing of sexes in the ‘Boarding Houses’ which is the problem but the lack of accommodation in learning institutions right from Grade 8. EVEN WHERE GIRLS LIVE ON THEIR OWN, ADULT MEN STILL ENTICE AND SEXUALLY ABUSE THEM. THIS PROBLEM IS TAKING PLACE ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND THE GOING BACK TO SECONDARY SCHOOLS (DAY) HAS WORSENED THE SITUATION.
If the students are in college or university, then its not logical to do this. Otherwise, then you will need to go and stop male and female students from visiting each other at universities and colleges which is not right – these young people should learn to be responsible and independent for thats how they will live their lives anyway.
My only advice based on this article is to not allow male and female students to be resident in the same house but let them visit each other anytime they want. You cant stop them from visiting each other
Lets not go around the Bush here, the only reason this issue is being raised is becuse of “illicit sex”, this is not right in our culture were sex is practiced in the “open”, thats why we have so many problems, we prefer doing it in the dark and pretending we “ain’t doing it” to actually bringing it all out in the open.
Madam Sampa lets not look away were sex is concerned, this is something we can never run away from, it’s a very healthy need among others leads to a long life if practiced responsibly,however, morality must play a roll here for results can be deadly. Ask your government to build more dormitories to avoid any awkward moments and above all invest in sex education in all learning institutions regardless the age.
@cindy
help here i dont understand,, does it mean that black people can control their sexual organs… i mean am in europe boarding houses which accomodates female and male students are everywhere .. issues of illicit sex dont araise!!!
@ Ndobo,
I used Quotation marks because thats what they assume it is.Anyone can control themself when it comes to sex, the difference between practicing sex in Europe and Africa is so huge, which makes it seem more “illicit” back home and normal here.
Where iam, we learn and get comfortable with sex education at an early age which results in being equipped forever unless otherwise, back home you will never find a mother or father talking to their 10year old daughter or son over matters of sex, that is a taboo, i find it horrible especially in this world where you will always find someone trying to abuse anyone.Marriages are destroyed because of lack of knowledge in the area of sex unnecessarily due to lack of education.
@ Ndobo,
They say knowledge is power, it doesnt have to take special facilities and forces to have knowledge on certain issues, just you and i discussing this issue right here right now is sending wrong waves to some folks on LT, exactly my point! Our culture i may say has contributed in making problems than solving them. The Government must sort out this issue of Dormitories being experienced all over the country, i think this is a problem in all states, am sure they know about this problem why dont they borrow to build more rooms if they can afford to borrow for other things? who will pay back those loans if the people supposed to pay die of AIDS because they were sholved together with an infected fellow in some room at some learning institution and couldnt “control” themself? Too…
Dorothy!!!!!! go close CBU as well. It has all the problems you are worried about. Congestion in rooms, sex everywhere – even corridors and roads (close them too). Then you will solve the problem. Was there no sex at colleges or universities you guys went to? Why do you like pretending? After all the majority of you are married to the ones you were bonking in your uni days……..
even the same dorothy wen she was in college she used to be bonked.but why pretending
Separating girls and boys is not a solution; it’s their own responsabilty as they are mature.
My advise to them:
Fear God, flee fornication.
God has set before you death and life. Chose life!
There is judgement after this life and reward or punishment.
Has anyone noticed how many times the words ” sharing the same boarding facilities…” have been used? I am here only alluding to the kind of reporting – which has been so poor in most of the LT articles.
iwe mrs sampa you are just dirty minded these pipo are adults they know what they are doin dont be silly obiviously iwe balekushinpa sana where ever you went to sch
Its a trend world over to have university students share accommodation. Do your research before condemimg
Friends, where i stay i have seen this, them guys who share the house with young ladies do alot of dirt things, they change girls like shirts ,KCC should close this houses those who are against the closure are the beneficiaries of the same or they enjoy dirt things, if you want to marry while at school go ahead than endangering
your like.
This is dumb. Its not the councils Job to regulate student morality. If the council wants to treat these boarding houses as commercial properties then they are within their rights but to regulate adult behaviour – thats just stupid.
Thats the problem with people who are in power they lack initiative. How do you just wake up and say shut down boarding houses.. are you going to facilitate the building of new ones? Its normal to have mixed boarding houses, its in almost every place. If students want sex they can get it regardless of the split. Madam please adress serious issues and stop talking anyhow!!
WHICH ONES?BE MORE SPECIFIC SO THAT WE CAN RELOCATE TO THEM
Yaba but this woman is unbelievably dull. Keeping boys and girls separate will solve the problem? Even in strict Islamic countries people shag each other all the time and you think some silly little regulation will solve it? Why do we still have prostitution despite all the laws against it? Why are such dull women given the time of day?
it happens in colleges and universities…even tho they live in separate/different hostels it takes a short walk to the girls hostel walya nokulya…thinking capacity of a foot pump ba ms chisanga
”For women they ve their own needs and their biological make up is different… They just need dignity
Yaba kwena wandepula dorothy!!! Dorothy these women who need dignity, are they from planet earth or another planet? Women dont need dignity nawadays in fact if a man gives a woman respect and dignity she stops loving him. Women show their nudity anyhow, women pay for a hotel room to get screwed by a man. Dorothy,seach bags of workers of at kcc you find the bigger number of women with condoms in their handbags. Women grab other women husbands with impunity so what dignity a you preaching dorothy.
this is the same every where – please
these are adults if they choose to bonk themselves all day long and all night long, its their lives and health and education, focus on street vendors in the city, Fix the Potholes and sort out the Pirate Taxis near Euro bus station and chisokone market. kitwe is filty and full of hawkers. How those kids behave should be left to their parents or Gaurdians, as for you Ms Dorothy Sampa, unless you have a 21 year old Ben10 who you need to sort out, other wise forcus on things that benefit the tax and rate payer,