Online Reporter
Robin Muchetu in Nkayi
TRADITIONAL leaders have called for renewed efforts to rebuild and reinforce moral values within communities, warning that moral decay is contributing to risky behaviour that is driving HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), particularly among young people.
Speaking during a stakeholders’ meeting in Nkayi District on Wednesday, Chief Nkalakatha said traditional leaders have a responsibility to regularly engage communities and help restore values that have gradually been eroded over time.
“Every Chief must have visits to schools in his jurisdiction to have talks with children, as you know the issues driving HIV is that many children today are not morally upright. Morals are one of the things we are mandated to instill in school children. We are supposed to have open dialogues with these children so that we deal with behaviour change,” he said.
Chief Nkalakatha said traditional leaders have a critical role to play in complementing Government efforts aimed at ending AIDS by 2030 through community education and awareness programmes.
“Whenever we are meeting we are talking about ending AIDS BY 2030,” he said.
He noted that traditional court sessions have also become important platforms for discussing HIV prevention and encouraging responsible behaviour within communities.
Chief Nkalakatha said traditional leaders can further contribute through the development of community by-laws designed to support HIV prevention initiatives.
“For instance, we could say before a person decides to marry, they must undergo HIV testing. That is one measure and an example that we can use in our communities to ensure there is no spread of HIV. There are many interventions that we can include, but we want communities to come up with them. We do not want to impose anything on the people,” he said.
The chief also urged communities to distinguish between cultural practices that promote positive values and those that may expose people to health risks.
He said it was important to identify and address harmful practices rather than condemning culture and traditional customs as a whole.
Chief Nkalakatha stressed that traditional leaders remain key stakeholders in influencing behaviour change, particularly among young people, through mentorship, community engagement and the promotion of positive cultural values.
