POLICE at the weekend released worrying statistics about the number of cases where citizens’ are ending others’ lives.
And the reasons for such range from disputes at beer drinking binges or sporting activities; family and community disputes during gatherings; attacks by unknown suspects while walking at night; settling of scores during Christmas holidays by individuals and groups to fighting over girlfriends, among others.
Police said from December 20 to 26 this year, they recorded 47 murder cases — that is in seven days.
Surely what on earth is that?
What have we become as a nation?
Since when did we start killing each other like flies?
We have always been known to respect each other’s lives, we have always cared about each other.
What are we teaching the future generations?
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What lessons do they get from our actions today?
What we do today is what will shape our country’s future.
In his Christmas Day message last week, President Emmerson Mnangagwa even appealed to the whole citizenry to enjoy the holidays responsibly.
He said: “As we celebrate this important national holiday, let us do so responsibly and safely, especially for the travelling and commuting public.”
Mnangagwa knew that many merry-makers become irresponsible during such days.
And hence, we cannot keep quiet when such bad things happen.
If we keep quiet today, we are killing our future, our children’s future, their children’s future as well.
American Baptist minister, activist and political philosopher who was one of the most prominent leaders in the civil rights movement from 1955 until his assassination in 1968 Martin Luther King once said: “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”
He added: “The good neighbour looks beyond the external accidents and discerns those inner qualities that make all men human and therefore, brothers.”
Today, we reflect on what our brothers and to an extent some sisters, have done in the past few days.
We cannot fail to speak out about their actions.
Cases of murder are on the rise and we need to speak sense into each other and make sure the number goes down.
Even the Bible states in Exodus 20:13, where it says: “Thou shalt not kill.”
Most Christian Bible versions translate this as “Thou shalt not murder”, albeit the message is the same.
The late Elinore Denniston, an American writer of more than 40 mystery novels under the pseudonym Rae Foley, even wrote: “Every murder strikes at the heart of civilisation; it is an attack on all mankind.”
Today, we make an impassioned plea to brothers and sisters, that let us learn to resolve our differences amicably.
Resorting to violence will never build a better tomorrow.
We are duty-bound to protect each other no matter how much we have been wronged.
There are better ways of addressing issues than finding an outing in violence.
We should always remember that we should not do anything that we cannot talk about after dinner.
