The Catholic Church says the problem of junkies is a ticking time bomb that will wreck the country’s development gains if left unchecked.
Archbishop of Lusaka, Alick Banda, observed that the escalating problem of junkies will explode and cause a catastrophic effect to the country’s socio-economic development trajectory.
Dr Banda said there is a need for Zambians and the government to quickly intervene and address the growing problem of junkies in society.
“Everything we are working for, building will be in vain if we do not seriously and urgently address the issue of junkies” said Dr Banda
The Archbishop said there is an urgent need for Christians to step up and find solutions in order to address the challenge affecting the country’s young population.
Dr Banda said that junkies have families and come from homes, including Christian homes and therefore no sane parent should be sleeping comfortably when their child is sleeping on the streets and in trenches.
“No parent should be happy, sleeping comfortably at home when their children are out on the streets, sleeping in trenches” lamented Archbishop Banda.
The Archbishop said there is a need for government and communities to devise interventions, stating that the church is reinvigorating its outreach to young people to ensure that they are empowered with skills to make them productive.
Archbishop Banda was speaking when he graced the Silver Jubilee celebration of Chilenje’s St Joseph Parish becoming an autonomous parish, as well as the consecration of the parish’s new altar.
Dr Banda urged the community of Chilenje to remain united and not let politicians mislead them into seeing their brethren through political lenses.
Really no sane parent will be happy seeing children developing into junkies. And no sane govt should be happy seeing its citizens becoming junkies.
Unpopular opinion here….street kids or junkies as they are referred to now should receive welfare benefits like the other 1 million families receiving benefits. That service is for people like them who are destitute. With conditions obviously. Stay clean from drugs and enrolled in a school/tertiary program.
Before 1993 there no street kids or junkies. This problem emerged when Ali Baba Kafupi and his 40 thieves decided to sell companies and stole the proceeds. Orphanages sprang up to steal more money out of this unfortunate predicament. Kafupi’s followers are still stealing, some on buses as pastors and others as chief marketers. Zambia went with UNIP, we now have Chambia. The moment Chakolwa bought armoured vehicles to deal with despondency we knew that he was on his way out. Another outgoing chap has bought 156 vehicles to arrest those against his dictatorship but we understand this symptom. Bye bye Gloria
Look here Ayatollah, we’re in this together and nothing is going to change unless Zambia breaks up. Let’s be sober in our debate because in that way we will be able to also think properly. Sober up, will you?
In the meantime Kaizar Zulu is battling for his life after his self-hired care workers laced his medicine with acid. Soon to be gone.
The minute we stop referring to these children as junkies and start addressing them as human beings with social problems, we will be half way to resolving the problem. The more we call them junkies the more hardened they become. Let the church desist from attaching labels to people who need help.
Children do not just appear from nowhere. Africans must learn to plan and take responsibility. People make children and abandon them like animals. We should enforce some laws to handle issues of reproduction in this country. Life is responsibility. Also when discussing issues, separate emotions from reality and logic.