THE past days have been a hive of activities that saw Zambians unite to celebrate the country’s Golden Jubilee.
People from different walks of life, politicians included, put aside their differences to join hands in celebrating the 50 years of peace and unity that Zambia has enjoyed since getting liberated from British colonialism.
Indeed, it was a time that saw people realise that nothing was bigger than Zambia and this should send a strong message as the country continues to be a role model in the manner it has managed to maintain peace for such a long time.
But as we continue to commemorate the Golden Jubilee, there is need to reflect on the plea made by Central Province Permanent Secretary Edwidge Mutale on the need for Zambians to support children incarcerated with their mothers in prisons.
As Ms Mutale observed, these children have not wronged society in any way but find themselves in this situation owing to what their mothers did.
It would be incumbent upon Zambians, especially those closely related to these prisoners to take up the challenge and give the children a better life.
Zambian prisons are not the best of places for a child to grow from as they also get exposed to various diseases owing to the bad state of these prisons.
Most of our prisons, which become homes for these children, are overcrowded, unhygienic and lack proper basic facilities. The children, therefore, end up having limited or no access at all to education.
That aside, these children have no access to proper food and, as a result, tend to have weak immune system while at the same time getting exposed to numerous diseases in the overcrowded prisons.
The children must have the right to safe drinking water and proper sanitary conditions as these are essential to their good health, survival and proper growth. The child has further a right to an identity by also knowing who his/her relatives are.
While many individuals and companies during events like Independence and Christmas celebrations tend to donate various goods to children through their mothers in prisons, there is need for them to go a step further and see how these children can be helped so that they can have a better and normal life just like other children.
There is fear as to how these children would grow up and fit in society coming from such a background. They would have missed out on proper upbringing and, as a result, end up on the streets before joining the world of crime.
So it would be prudent as individuals, as well as companies, to see how best these children can be assisted so that they can grow up in a good environment unlike leaving them to suffer in prisons for the crimes they did not commit.
It would be well for these children to be given a better life that promises hope for the future unlike injustice, neglect and despair.
These children deserve the right to live in a secure and protective environment.