APM is applauded for taking the initiative to visit those districts with the purpose of dispelling “bloodsuckers” rumours. A plea is that APM should use all the available information on vampires and “bloodsuckers” he may lay his hands on and educate the people. In Nyasaland during the 1930s health campaigns, surveys, and vaccination efforts were often stymied by similar rumours but colonial officials dismissed them as “African superstition”. Myths about vampires and tales of bloodsuckers in the night are found in every culture across the globe with different variations, and date back to centuries. The belief in vampires stems from… Read more »

Those of you who know Malawi’s post independence political history will recall that in the late 1960’s , a group of people opposed to Dr Banda’s regime organized a murder and terror campaign against the people of Blantyre and other Southern region districts. During that time , people would be found murdered in cold blood in their houses. The anti-government terrorists were also at the centre of spreading rumours to the effect that Dr Banda’s regime was collecting blood from the murdered victims in order to pay back a loan to the South African government which Malawi had obtained from… Read more »