Chief Sinazongwe declares end to Suxual Cleansing

By Tovin Ngombe:-

Chief Sinazongwe has declared that his subjects have stopped

practicing sexual cleansing to avoid people perishing from the HIV/AIDS

pandemic.

The Chief said when members from World Vision together with a CNN

reporter paid a courtesy call on him that his chiefdom no longer

entertains the bad traditional practice of having sexual intercourse with a

widow.

Chief Sinazongwe said the Tonga tradition demands that a chief could

have about 10 wives but it was not possible with the rapid spread of

the HIV/AIDS.

He noted that people have resorted to using traditional medicine as

an alternative to sexual cleansing and to chase away the perceived

ghost.

“Because in our traditional we believe that when someone dies the

ghost still lives and no ghost can come through using this
traditional

medicine,” the Chief said.

The Chief said any person found practicing the abolished sexual

cleansing would pay damages.

Chief Sinazongwe revealed that through
senstisation campaign by the

Reaching HIV/AIDS Affected People with Integrated Development Support

(RAPIDS) under World Vision; his subjects have realised the need to care

for the infected people.

He said the NGOs
activities in his chiefdom have brought back the

family ties that were torn apart in the early stages of the HIV/AIDS

pandemic.

The chief said there was a slight reduction in the HIV/AIDS cases

though the health
personnel could give the exact percentages.

He urged all traditional leaders to get involved in the fight against

HIV/AID and to advocate for the continuation of the condom use.