By Sydney Chela
My elder sister was a jovial person and very intelligent in school. After her graduations from CBU she got a job and her life was fine. She got married and had a baby girl, we used to visit her with my sister and mum.
One day I just heard a conversation that she was being abused by the husband. Dad said let her come back but mum said no she must endure marriage is like that. Around 01 we received a call that she was rushed to the hospital.
Mum and dad rushed there only to find her unconscious being attended to by the doctors. She was discharged and report was made to the police.
We stayed with her for some weeks, the husband sold the house and car then latter on filled for divorce. I could see the pain in my sister’s eyes. She lost her job and started staying home.
My mother would mock her, you failed to keep your marriage, this is my house get out of my kitchen if you don’t want to cook.
She stopped work and she used to remain home. Mum would send her to do all the house chores and she will be working whilst crying.
Some church members came to visit, mum asked my sister to remain in the bedroom because it so shameful to have a divorced child around. People will talk when they see her.
Dad was upset. He tried talking to mum to stop mistreating my elder sister but awe nothing changed. My other sisters joined mum too.
My elder sister just became mute. She would go for days without eating. if me or dad don’t go in her room to check on her then she won’t eat.
One day she told dad that am not well and I don’t think I will make it. Dad took her to the hospital and she was diagnosed with depression. They told dad we are putting her on medication. We came home, mum continued saying if only u kept your marriage none of this would have happened to you.
I came home around 14hrs. I asked mum about my elder sister. They just said katwishi. I went in her room only to find the daughter sitting next to the mother.
I called her name, no response. I tried to shake her nothing, called mum for help her response was nalala muleke. Dad got in the bedroom, touched her and started crying. I helped dad to put her body in the car. We reached the hospital and it was BID; they said she died a long time ago.
After burial, I only got my elder sister’s daughter and shifted to another place, away from mum and sisters, coz they contributed in my elder sister’s death. I find it hard to forgive them. Even just touching my sister’s daughter, I feel like they can kill her.
Credit: Zambia Today
