Fresh calls have emerged for authorities in Zambia’s tourism capital, Livingstone, to shut down a traditional boys’ initiation camp, locally known as Mukanda, following allegations of child abuse, unlawful recruitment, and breaches of established regulations.
Concerned parents allege that several boys were taken to the initiation camp without their consent, prompting calls for intervention by law enforcement agencies and child protection authorities.
The latest allegations come nearly two years after the government, through the Gender Division, shut down a similar camp in 2024 and rescued 48 boys who were reportedly being held in unsafe and unsanitary conditions.
During that operation, Gender Division Permanent Secretary Mainga Kabika led a multi-agency team that discovered the camp had been established without the necessary authorization. Authorities described the conditions as hazardous, with children allegedly confined in overcrowded and unhygienic surroundings.
Three of the rescued boys required hospital treatment, with some reportedly suffering complications linked to traditional circumcision procedures allegedly conducted using razor blades.
Following consultations among government officials, traditional leaders, and other stakeholders, initiation camps were later permitted to resume operations under agreed guidelines requiring strict adherence to existing laws and regulations.
In the current case, parents allege that children were secretly recruited into the initiation programme without their knowledge or approval. One parent further claims that a boy undergoing HIV treatment had gone without his antiretroviral medication for two weeks while at the camp. Diamond News has not independently verified this allegation.
Mukanda is a traditional rite of passage practised by some ethnic groups in Zambia and neighbouring countries. The ceremony typically involves boys aged between 10 and 17 spending an extended period in seclusion, where they undergo cultural instruction and circumcision as part of their transition into adulthood.
Several parents also claim they have received demands for payments of up to K3,000 to cover camp-related expenses despite not authorising their children’s participation. They further allege that families are required to contribute a mandatory weekly feeding fee of K150 while also preparing meals for the initiates.
Others say the initiation programme has disrupted the academic calendar, particularly for pupils in examination classes, as some participants reportedly miss school for extended periods.
While voluntary medical male circumcision is widely available in both public and private health facilities across Zambia and is promoted as a measure to reduce the risk of HIV transmission, some communities continue to prefer traditional circumcision practices for cultural reasons.
Additional allegations suggest that some boys were physically assaulted by camp supervisors after attempting to escape during the night. These claims have not been officially confirmed, and authorities have yet to publicly comment on the matter.
Meanwhile, camp convener Ndonji Zuze has strongly denied all the allegations, maintaining that parents consented to their children’s participation in the initiation programme.
Mr. Zuze further stated that all boys at the camp are safe and continue to attend classes, dismissing claims that the programme has disrupted their education.
He also told Diamond News that he possesses all the necessary documentation and approvals from the relevant local authorities authorising the establishment and operation of the camp.
By Gabriel Josias Muuba
