Malawi doctor escapes death from bloodsuckers’ lynch mobs

A medical at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital Dr Rodrick Banda says was nearly attacked by heavily armed young men and women near Kameza along Chileka road when he was coming from work last night.  

“After performing a successful operation last night , I was driving home at around 23:30, I met a group of young guys just after Kameza (Chileka road) who almost took my life”  Dr Banda wrote in his note.

“They had blocked the road rocks and burning tyres allegedly hunting for blood suckers. In an attempt to turn back I fell into a drain , they had me surrounded carrying  stones and some panga knives .

“I told them, am a doctor not a blood sucker and I was coming from the hospital .By God’s Grace they understood me, helped me and took the only cash I had in my wallet . This happened right here in [Blantyre] and not in Mulanje. This nation is so sick.”

The mob on Thursday  killed a 22-year-old epileptic man in Chileka, and another man was stoned to death after being suspected of being a blood sucker.

This has brought the number of people killed as suspected blood suckers to nine since the rumors started early last month.

President Peter Mutharika tried in vain to array the rumors which police and medical workers say has no basis.

Mutharika said the reports were “distressing and agonising” and has set up a ministerial committee to look into the matter.

In a meeting with community leaders in the hot spot district of Mulanje on October 13, Mutharika had warned people to stop using witchcraft to “suck people’s blood.”

“If people are using witchcraft to suck people’s blood, I will deal with them and I ask them to stop doing that with immediate effect,” he said.

Meanwhile UN agencies have pulled out workers from districts affected by the rumors. US embassy had already withdrawn Peace Corps volunteers from the affected districts.