Kaliati orders Malawi police to shut down Mamas Shabin over teenage sex

Malawi’s Minister of Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare Patricia Kaliati, has ordered police to close Mamas Shabin beer drinking joint in Ntcheu for commercial sex promotion amongst girls.

Press reports show Malawi young girls are selling their bodies at Mamas Shabin operated by Rebecca Bakuwa, at the heart of Ntcheu Township, behind the district’s post office building, popularly known as “Ku Nursery” among Ntcheu residents for its functional role of nurturing young prostitutes who act as magnets for male customers.

Kaliati said the malpractice is against government’s efforts of promotion of human rights, child protection and girls’ education among others.

“As government, we have put in place legislations which aim at ensuring that girls and women are protected from various abuses including sexual assault, but such malpractices counteracts the legislations,” said Kaliati during a public awareness creation on at Kanyemba Village in the area of Senior Chief Kwataine in Ntcheu.

Kaliati ordered the Shabin to be closed immediately .

“If police will not close , I will go myself and shut down the Shabin, “ said Kaliati.

Nyasa Times also understands that there are many shabeens in the cities of Lilongwe and Blantyre and that some young girls confess that they turn to dirty old men who buy them alcohol in exchange for sex – because they cannot get money from their cash-strapped parents.

Shabeen owners are said to be recruiting young girls and use them to have sex with men for money.

Kaliati then advised parents and guardians to be taking care of their children and promote good cultural initiation and counselling sessions to ensure good upbringing of their children.

She warned women against concealing information which could lead to revelation of sexual harassment.

“Some girl children are sexually harassed with the knowledge of their mothers either by their biological or step fathers and some women decided to remain silent,” said Kaliati.

She said such silence does more harm than good to the girls and such girls in the process fail to enjoy their rights to education and good health among others.

Kaliati also disclosed that government intends to introduce cash transfer programme in Ntcheu as a way of reducing the effects of poverty in the district, adding that the programme will in one way or the other contribute to child care promotion in poverty stricken households.

Kaliati has since said government will roll out a nation-wide crackdown on sexual trafficking of young girls and sexual exploitation.

Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :