Mutharika says ‘foolishness’ of killing abinos for riches must stop

President Peter Mutharika has once again said its is “foolishness” myth that people with albinism that their body parts can be used in witchcraft to bring wealth and cure disease.

In Malawi people with the genetic disorder, which is characterised by an absence of pigment in the skin, hair and eyes, are  being hunted down and killed  in barbaric manner.

Bodies are abandoned with limbs cut off and organs ripped out. More than 60 related cases have been recorded. These range from murders to the theft of bones from the graves of people with albinism.

“The foolishness  mjust stop. Howmnay have been rich in such a way? “ wondered Mutharika.

The President made the remarks on Sunday during the launch of Chiwanja Cha a Yao at M’manga Primary School ground in the area of Traditional Authority (TA) Nsamala in Balaka.

Mutharika said government is committed to ensuring that people with albinism are protected in the country and perpertrators will “rot in jail” when successfully prosecuted.

The President said he has instructed the taskforce on albino abduction and killings to revise the strategy that would lead to an end of the malpractice in the wake of the killing of a man with albinism, Yasin kwenda Phiri, 54, in khatabay.

“My government will not shield anyone involved in the cruel killings of persons with albinism. Anyone found will be sentenced to life imprisonment.

“Let us all work together to end these killings and let us avoid politicizing this issue. Nobody has ever become rich through selling of bones of albino,” the Malawi leader pointed out.

However, Association  of People with Albinism Malawi (Apam) president Overtone Chimbo  said the President remarks is a recycled assurances.

Kondowe said person with albinism are “tired of listening to empty promises that there is security in the country whose evidence is not justified.”

He suggested that a special court be  established to speed up cases related to attacks on persons with albinism, who he said, now need to be equipped with  shortguns for self-defence.