By Prince Bill M. Kaping’a Political/Social Analyst
On a quick glance, he strikes you as someone who has just been scooped out of a barrel of used oil……..caked hair, soiled body, and oily clothes. In his early 20s, he can be seen trudging around Kitwe’s CBD. A bottle of glue never seems to leave his mouth. We shall simply refer to him as the Beast. Given his unkempt appearance, not many motorists bother to pay him any attention. At times they would just leave their earthly possessions in their vehicles, and run some errands rest assured he wouldn’t hurt a fly!
Alas…..behind the façade is actually a crafty individual with an eye for expensive tastes. It was on one of such days that he plied open a sedan’s door and helped himself to a smartphone. He would pass on the gadget to one of the younger street kids with instructions to dispose of it at one of the mobile phone shops within the Chisokone market. The boy was offered a paltry K100 for something that would normally fetch a couple of thousands of Kwacha. The boy didn’t give any qualms about it, anyway!
As he found his way back, he came across a place where some machines seemed to gush-out countless coins once folks pushed in a few coins. Maybe he could try his luck and make a small profit……He changed the notes into coins and positioned himself at one machine. He pushed in a few coins……and then some more coins…….. and then, many more coins. Before he knew it, he was down to one coin! He decided to get himself a fritter and sought his into town making sure he kept his peeled off in case the Beast came looking for him.
Following a tip-off, the Beast decided to go and find him. They bumped into each other around the Spar Center.
“Where’s my money?” he snarled as his eyes glistened with anger. “I’ve been looking for you!”
“Let me explain…..” he stammered.
“There would be no need for that……” he countered as he dragged him away. “You’re coming with me, whether you like it or not!”
In no time, they found themselves along the rail line, not far from the bus terminus, otherwise known as the ‘Savage Yard.”
“Somebody…….help! Help! Help!” his muffled voice shrieked as the Beast tried to gag him while at the same time attempting to tackle him to the ground as he pulled down his shorts.
As fortune would have it though, there was a legion of ‘call boys’ within the vicinity smoking ganja away from the snooping eyes of the Drug Enforcement Commission. Upon hearing the commotion, the fellas stubbed out their joints and rushed to check. The boy was sprawled on the ground as the Beast tried to position himself, salivating.
The ‘call boys’ immediately descended on the Beast and beat the daylights out of him! “Don’t you know where to find the girls, idiot!” they unleashed the blows all over his body as if they were hitting a punching bag. Meanwhile, the boy briskly pulled up his shorts and took to his heels.
He found his peers at the Pick and Pay area and explained his ordeal to them. “How could he try to do such a thing to you?” the boys were seething with uncontrollable rage. Led by the indefatigable Spax who prides himself as an upcoming pugilist, they launched a manhunt. They cornered the Beast as he limped his way to the sprawling Chisokone market where he thought he could seek refuge. Like a pack of incensed wild dogs, they lunged at him and tore off his clothes as they took turns pummeling him, hysterically. They left him for dead and besieged the market to the chagrin of onlookers.
“Imwe faza (big man) we’ve come to get the phone! Can you please surrender the phone you bought from this one before we run mad,” one look at them revealed the kids weren’t pulling legs. They were howling and hovering around like a pack of hungry wolves.
He quickly produced the phone and asked them to leave, immediately! And so……that’s how the boy escaped being sodomized. We indeed live in a sick society! Day in and out, girls get raped, violently! Boys get sodomized, mercilessly! What are you doing about it?
Next week, we tackle the plight of a 12-year-old boy who was dragged and gang-raped by prostitutes!
There should be no beast in society. Get rid of it in any way.