I am writing to make a formal complaint against Lottie Phiri your footballer at your club in Ndola (Zesco United Football Team) over his remarks he posted on Facebook (Lottie Phiri (Messi) concerning Mary Magambo a journalist at ZNBC-Lusaka Mass Media Complex.
Gender based violence and harassment is one of type of sexual harassment. Your football player had intent to cause harm or destroy her reputation by bullying her just because He happened to be her former boyfriend. Sexual harassment is against the law of Zambia especially during this period when the country has continued to witness the increase in the number of women being abused.
Accordingly to what he posted on facebook, he portrayed his hostility by raising issues by focusing on the negative behaviour just because she has rejected him.
The following were the posting from his facebook page: Lottie Phiri (Messi).
“Let me expose this Mary magambo from ZNBC,”
“she came in my life a year ago and ask[ed] me to marry her. She has two kids, boyfriends, ministers, musicians, businessmen, football[er]s,bus drivers,etc.
“When I said no to her, she start[ed] dating a football[er] from gbfc [Green Buffaloes] thinking she will hurt me,”
“to all men out they [there], she is a XXXX like those in bars at night. Mary, I cannot marry a girl like u, before I meet you, [you] sent nicked [naked] pictures.”
Though I may not be Mary but for sure she has been affected with such social media abuse by whatever Lottie Phiri is called whether it was her friend or boyfriend. She is in the vulnerable situation and afraid to speak out with her job as a journalist because his intention was to destroy her.
This has an effect on her life and can be viewed as a harsh sentiment toward a young lady. She cannot feel safe and secure, or take part fully in society, Lottie’s intention was to reduce her self-esteem and make her stressed.
Therefore, I would like to put discipline measures at your club regarding the use of social media. The players are role model in our society and they are required to behaviour in a certain way. Also I will request your Zesco Football Team to discipline Lottie Phiri by cancelling the contract he had with your team as a way of showing to others that even football Gender Based Violence is discouraged. When in Europe they are facing racial abuse us in Zambia and Africa we should fight such vices like Gender Based Violence in our communities.
I understand that you are required to respond formally to my complaint. I shall follow up this letter if I do not receive any feedback from you in seven days time.
Looking forward to hearing from you in the very near future.
JM