That handsome face could be HIV positive
By Pelekelo Liswaniso
EMMANUEL Bulaya has just returned from Europe. He was away for six years, having studied economics at a famous university in the United Kingdom. He later worked for a consultant firm in London for two years before coming back home.
He is not married, but he had left a child with a girlfriend, Bertha, whom he had impregnated while at school at Kamwala Secondary School in Lusaka ten years ago.
As he drove around in his new Nissan saloon car which he bought soon after arrival in Lusaka, all eyes on Cairo Road could tell that he was new in town. This was last week.
He was smartly dressed in a silky white shirt with matching Pierre-Cardin black trousers, leather shoes and a gold chain around his neck.
He was wearing powerful perfume whose scent could be smelt minutes after he was long gone. He is tall, well shaven, short hair with a pencil-line moustache. He is handsome in all respects and quite irresistible to most women.
"That guy is cute," a sales counter lady, remarked as Bulaya entered Shoprite. "I wouldn't mind having a date with him," said another, and they burst out laughing and giggling as he walked past them and bought a bottle of champagne from another counter. He seemed to have been in a hurry for a date.
His friends said he had been seeing a fellow graduate at a bank in town and several other girls who are excited about his looks and hope for a promising future with him.
They all seemed to be in love with him. He had abandoned his old faithful, Bertha, and only remembered her because of the child they had together. He was living in his own world.
His bank account had a steady balance and he could afford to entertain, buy the girls presents, wine and dance at will. He had what he called "not too serious affairs", with a nurse, a student at a college in town, a married woman in Makeni and two secretaries.
He has actually been a busy bee ever since he came back shuttling between the women and having a good time with all of them and of course sexually! He was just awaiting an appointment letter as an assistant director and the girls were all looking forward to a continued relationship with him.
None of them seemed to care and even question on whether they had an idea that he had other relationships with other women. To them Bulaya is their dream. One wonders whether they use any contraceptives or not when going to bed with Bulaya because to them he is the man of their life.
The girl at the bank has already even told her parents that her dream has come true after meeting Bulaya and that she will do "anything" to keep him. She doesn't know that he is a Casanova.
Even while he was in Europe, Bulaya had too many affairs including patronising the "red lights", notorious corners for sex workers. He also had affairs with two married women at the University and three working girls in the city.
He was a starter in his own way whether as a student or a worker at home. Nightclubs were his favourite pass-times and he admits that he has had his fun while in Europe. What he doesn’t know is his health status.
Could he be HIV positive? He doesn't know and does not wish to know. He abhors the idea of an HIV test. His girlfriends do not know their status either and have neither bothered to test themselves after a series of sexual bouts with him.
But the possibility of being infected by HIV, the virus that causes AIDS is there. In fact the chances are 50-50 and he could spread the virus and possibly not. Many International Conference on AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Diseases in Africa (ICASA) have alluded that it's difficult to tell from one's looks on whether someone is HIV positive or not.
Some men could be as handsome as Bulaya and hold important positions in society, but still, they could be carriers of HIV.
What you see is not always what you get. You could be seeing a killer wearing a broad inviting smile that could take you to your grave earlier than your time. HIV/AIDS is real and at least 14 million people have died over the past 20 years. A further 33 million people are believed to be living with HIV and could include the likes of Bulaya.
Because they have more partners, men like Bulaya are likely to contract and transmit the virus to others worldwide. Women may be more affected by the consequences of HIV/AIDS, but it is the sexual behaviour of a large minority of men like Bulaya which enables the virus to spread.
Men's behaviour threatens women. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say more men than women are HIV positive, i.e. living with the virus, so watch out! That handsome face would be HIV positive
EMMANUEL Bulaya has just returned from Europe. He was away for six years, having studied economics at a famous university in the United Kingdom. He later worked for a consultant firm in London for two years before coming back home.
He is not married, but he had left a child with a girlfriend, Bertha, whom he had impregnated while at school at Kamwala Secondary School in Lusaka ten years ago.
As he drove around in his new Nissan saloon car which he bought soon after arrival in Lusaka, all eyes on Cairo Road could tell that he was new in town. This was last week.
He was smartly dressed in a silky white shirt with matching Pierre-Cardin black trousers, leather shoes and a gold chain around his neck.
He was wearing powerful perfume whose scent could be smelt minutes after he was long gone. He is tall, well shaven, short hair with a pencil-line moustache. He is handsome in all respects and quite irresistible to most women.
"That guy is cute," a sales counter lady, remarked as Bulaya entered Shoprite. "I wouldn't mind having a date with him," said another, and they burst out laughing and giggling as he walked past them and bought a bottle of champagne from another counter. He seemed to have been in a hurry for a date.
His friends said he had been seeing a fellow graduate at a bank in town and several other girls who are excited about his looks and hope for a promising future with him.
They all seemed to be in love with him. He had abandoned his old faithful, Bertha, and only remembered her because of the child they had together. He was living in his own world.
His bank account had a steady balance and he could afford to entertain, buy the girls presents, wine and dance at will. He had what he called "not too serious affairs", with a nurse, a student at a college in town, a married woman in Makeni and two secretaries.
He has actually been a busy bee ever since he came back shuttling between the women and having a good time with all of them and of course sexually! He was just awaiting an appointment letter as an assistant director and the girls were all looking forward to a continued relationship with him.
None of them seemed to care and even question on whether they had an idea that he had other relationships with other women. To them Bulaya is their dream. One wonders whether they use any contraceptives or not when going to bed with Bulaya because to them he is the man of their life.
The girl at the bank has already even told her parents that her dream has come true after meeting Bulaya and that she will do "anything" to keep him. She doesn't know that he is a Casanova.
Even while he was in Europe, Bulaya had too many affairs including patronising the "red lights", notorious corners for sex workers. He also had affairs with two married women at the University and three working girls in the city.
He was a starter in his own way whether as a student or a worker at home. Nightclubs were his favourite pass-times and he admits that he has had his fun while in Europe. What he doesn’t know is his health status.
Could he be HIV positive? He doesn't know and does not wish to know. He abhors the idea of an HIV test. His girlfriends do not know their status either and have neither bothered to test themselves after a series of sexual bouts with him.
But the possibility of being infected by HIV, the virus that causes AIDS is there. In fact the chances are 50-50 and he could spread the virus and possibly not. Many International Conference on AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Diseases in Africa (ICASA) have alluded that it's difficult to tell from one's looks on whether someone is HIV positive or not.
Some men could be as handsome as Bulaya and hold important positions in society, but still, they could be carriers of HIV.
What you see is not always what you get. You could be seeing a killer wearing a broad inviting smile that could take you to your grave earlier than your time. HIV/AIDS is real and at least 14 million people have died over the past 20 years. A further 33 million people are believed to be living with HIV and could include the likes of Bulaya.
Because they have more partners, men like Bulaya are likely to contract and transmit the virus to others worldwide. Women may be more affected by the consequences of HIV/AIDS, but it is the sexual behaviour of a large minority of men like Bulaya which enables the virus to spread.
Men's behaviour threatens women. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say more men than women are HIV positive, i.e. living with the virus, so watch out! That handsome face would be HIV positive