•SOME of Mrs Ngwenya’s children pictured outside their home in Lusaka.

By PASSY HAACHIZO –

THEY might have a roof over their heads but what obtains inside this single parent-headed home, leaves more questions than answers.
From a distance one might not judge correctly as the five children seem unworried, yet their plight is that which might require close attention.
After the death of their father in 2010 and the sickness of their mother in October 2014, the family of the late Stephen Ngwenya, one might conclude that a smile is rare among them.
Mr Ngwenya survived by five children, Fredrick, Hilda, Stephen Junior, Cecilia and Paul, died in 2010 after an illness leaving his wife Peggy Munyama to take care of the children.
The demise of Mr Ngwenya was not only received with shock by his family, but has also led to more suffering as well.
The repercussion has indeed sent a negative impact, worse still, everyone from the neighbourhood, has been driven into neurosis as they have started to imagine what will happen next.
Last year, Ms Munyama, the late Mr Ngwenya’s wife, developed a strange disease which everyone in the community could not comprehend.
It is true that it is unwise to expect the world to treat you fairly because you are a good person, just the same as one expects a bull not to attack him because he is a vegetarian.
In time of adversity, you don’t have an obstacle; but have a choice and residents from John Laing Township, have appealed to members of the public to assist Mrs Peggy Ngwenya before she risks the lives of her children.
Residents who sought anonymity in John Laing Township in Cipi-chipi area next to Muzumara bar, said there was an urgent need for members of the public, especially the Ministry of Health to assist Mrs Ngwenya.
The residents said whenever Mrs Ngwenya is triggered, she insults members of the community and was fond of insulting passers by on the streets going to church.
“When she sees people passing by on the road, she insults them and does not want people to fetch water from the communal tap within the Township telling them that, the water belongs to Levy Mwanawasa (Late president) or Robert Mugabe, President of Zimbabwe and not these other politicians.
“She is the one that was digging on this road trying to demarcate it so that other people cannot use it,” a resident explained.
Some residents said their worry was not much on their safety, but the safety of her children who have also been deprived of their chance to go to school.
“Her children have stopped going to school and to make matters worse, her tenants are not allowed to buy certain things as she regards them as evil,” the residents said.
Fredrick Ngwenya 25 who is the first born said, he has now run out of ideas on what to do on the condition of his mother.?“Before my father passed on everything was just alright but in October last year, my mother suddenly got sick.
“She has always been doing all sort of things, look at that bin, sometimes she goes there and start picking whatever she finds inside,”?said Fredrick.?Fredrick said, his mother chased tenants and did a lot of strange things every day both in the night and during the day.
“So now she has run away because she heard that I wanted to take her to Geo Gate, a health institution, for mental scanning.
“Sometimes she can just abruptly stand and begin to dance hysterically, a few days ago, she picked up a flower pot and hit it on the door saying, it was? evil,’’ narrated Fredrick.
Fredrick said that recently, he had taken his mother to Lusaka west to see a Pastor Malama who charged him K50 for holy water and had called for K100 for the anointing oil but he could not afford.
He said his mind was always preoccupied with her problem as she has stopped sleeping in recent days and at times, she grabs people’s necks, then picks up stones and start laughing.?Stephen Ngwenya junior, the third born child said, he has an educational challenge because of the same problem.
“The last time I paid school fees was in grade ten and ever since, I have been learning on pending payment.
“I usually do piece work to raise funds for my books and other school necessities and I do not get any support from anyone,” said Stephen.
He hope one day, God will answer his prayers and bring a smile in the home as it was before his father died.
Cecilia the fourth daughter said, after qualifying to Chinika Secondary School, she has up to now failed to attend classes due to financial constraints.
“I am waiting for whichever day the money will be found so that I can go to school because the last time I went there and after presenting K400 out of K1.2 (one thousand two hundred Kwacha) I was told to go back and come to school when I have the whole amount and this is how I found myself at home,” said Cecilia.
Residents said the woman reaches to an extent of calling Zesco to come and disconnect electricity at her home saying that they are connected to Satanism.
“These Children are real problem and I do not know where elders of this family, if this problem is not sorted out at this point, I do not know what will happen next.
“My fear is on the safety of the children because in the way she behaves she might do something nasty to them,” echoed another resident Ernest Banda.
John Mason in his book “The Impossible is Possible” said, every obstacle introduces a person to himself. How we respond to obstacles is of ultimate importance.?Since the problem has been brought to light and now what is remaining is to assist Mr Ngwenya’s family to enable them regain their lost smile.