Malawi pastor with albinism stops serving flock in fear of attacks

A pastor with albinism has stopped serving his flock and going to church in Mulanje because of the increased number of attacks on people with albinism.

Clement Dayile of Christ Citadel Church said he now fears for his life and had no choice but to temporarily abandon his flock until the situation improves.

“The situation is not conducive for me to be going out to preach. I don’t even go out on longer distances in fear I will be the next victim,” he said.

This follows the brutal killing of 38 year old Fletcher Masina from a dimba where he was working last week in Ntcheu and was found with his hands, arms and private parts chopped off.

President Peter Mutharika told the BBC in an interview aired Monday that he had seen the picture of dead Masina and described it as sickening.

He condemned the murder.

Mutharika slammed the belief among some Malawian residents, describing the superstition as foolish and ignorant.

“The people who are telling people that it makes people rich are not even rich. They are wearing rags. How can a person like this make your rich if he himself cannot make himself rich?” he said.

Emmie Mbewe, a Macoha official from Mulanje said she failed to conduct a survey in the district to find out how many people with albinism are in the district because people with albinism fear for their lives once they are told to congregate at a specified place.

Citizen Alliance chairperson Edward Chileka Banda has since told the government to get Malawi Army soldiers out of Dzalanyama forest where they are protecting trees to go and protect people with albinism.

Malawi recently sent officials to neighbouring Tanzania in a bid to gain knowledge on how to deal with the attacks.

 

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