By Kabelo Mollo
Barely six weeks ago I was a 36-year old father of none. This morning when I woke up I was a 37-year old father of one. Life really comes at you fast. We are generally discouraged from counting our blessings but the way these last couple of years have gone I think we have to tally them up and remind ourselves to be grateful. I am lucky enough to still have both my parents.
Extraordinary people who have provided the most generous platform for us to thrive. Loving to a fault and generally awesome. My siblings are also all still going in spite of the pandemic. Three brilliant people who have been encouraging and supportive beyond measure. I have an extended family like no other.
If it’s true that it takes a village to raise a child then, that village has raised many children with aplomb! I write weekly about my wife, because of how profound her impact has been on my life. Even before she gave me the amazing gift of a beautiful baby boy (who regularly gets mistaken for a girl) she was already the centre piece of my world. A more beautiful spirit I have not met! When I count my blessings as I am today, she’s top of mind.
I work at a brilliant start up. A place where a number of Lesotho’s best creative minds gather to make beautiful broadcasting magic. The personalities are many, and they are varied. The background stories are kaleidoscopic in colour, and the output mirrors that diversity. Whenever I chair my weekly management meetings I sit and listen to the plethora of creative solutions and I am always put at ease about where the country is headed. Sometimes I wonder when these brilliant young minds will be given free reign and then I remind myself that the cream always rises to the top.
All of this positivity in counting my blessings is in keeping with my new theme and outlook on this column, but I’d be eternally displeased if I didn’t weigh in with a condemnation of the highest order regarding the GBV scourge that has been quietly bubbling under in this country. For me and many others it came to a head this past week when a young lady was beaten so badly by her husband she lost her life.
I didn’t know the lady personally but she was known to many in my circle. Her death shocked my wife and I, but the circumstances leading to her untimely passing really angered us. It remains shocking hearing these kinds of stories, yet it has also become normal to hear about so and so who beats his partner. The level of spousal abuse has reached epidemic level. Indeed, some of these abusers are known to us, yet we continue to live amicably in society with them. When will these people be dealt with by the long arm of the law? When will they be made social pariahs?
Two things awakened considerable ire in me this week in the aftermath of this heinous crime. The first was a chap on social media ‘innocently’ enquiring what the lady had done to receive this fatal wrath. At the worst of times victim blaming is unacceptable, but in a situation where there’s been a loss of life, it is just downright uncouth. The blamer rightly incurred the wrath of social media, and with any luck that’s the last time we see that kind of thing. The second thing that made my blood boil was hearing that the suspect had received bail of a thousand maloti and was walking these streets. We share these Maseru streets with murderers, rapists and purveyors of gender based violence. It’s become par for the proverbial course to be in close proximity with these criminals. None of them fear lady justice because she’s not anywhere to be seen. There will not be a more damning reality than that!
It is time we made these people social pariahs. They must be made to feel like the lepers they are and while rehabilitation must be sought eventually, the initial reaction to appease our anger must to ouster these criminals from our society. Kangaroo courts and vigilante justice are not the answer, but until such time as the judicial system does right by its citizenry, I believe society must take its power in to its own hands.
Now that I have ranted, let me say this. In my next 365 days of life I hope to achieve the many goals I have set myself. I hope to see those around me flourish and I dearly hope to live a life of positivity and servant leadership. Here’s to the next year, may it be the best ever.
