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.

President Mutharika presents a gift to Paramount Chief Kawinga

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.

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Apumbwa
Apumbwa
5 years ago

I’m sorry Mr Maliseche, it took you how many days to issue a statement on this????. Your statement is very weak and an insult to all Malawians. Your reference to decapitated body parts as chipoda is very insensitive. Can you tell us what this task force has achieved so far? Because these barbaric acts have been on going for years now.

President Mkango Lion Manthakanjenjemereza
President Mkango Lion Manthakanjenjemereza
5 years ago

Let me offer solution death by stoning and firing squad will send the would be offender to shiver.

President Mkango Lion Manthakanjenjemereza
President Mkango Lion Manthakanjenjemereza
5 years ago

The main culprits are traditional healers, these need to be banned in the country as they are known of giving silly advices. MPs enact a law to ban them. But I know that you can not since some of you are beneficiaries of these silly guys act like kugona kumanda, ndi zina zotere.

Sungururerureru
Sungururerureru
5 years ago

Mr Chimbo, providing you with a shot gun is not a solution, it will just fuel instability in the country. Let the machinery implement heavy punishment to the culprits. On a different note, i do agree with your idea to establish a special branch within the judiciary system that will be hearing albino killings and related cases.

BigMan
BigMan
5 years ago

And you sir are even more foolish for referring to Albino bodyparts as Chiboda. Have you no shame?

Mchacha wa UTM
Mchacha wa UTM
5 years ago
Reply to  BigMan

Mutharika referred to albino body parts as Chiboda because he eats them. He forgot that he was addressing the public. He thought he was addressing his friends at a private Chiboda feast. Telltale slip of the tongue!

Ndowa
Ndowa
5 years ago

How can you reduce this wicked act to mere foolishness. Hmmmm you shou have done better!!!

linda
5 years ago

Mr president, words alone cannot stop the killings, you must take an action elseMalawians will conclude you’re part of the deal

mgoloso
mgoloso
5 years ago
Reply to  linda

What do you mean? Should government assign a police officer for each person with albinism? or should government put all persons with albinism in a camp and feed them their? Will you not say that it is discrimination?.

The fact of the matter is that Persons with albinism are being killed by their own relatives – the easiest way to curb this is to jail all relatives of persons with albinism.

Don’t just criticize, bring solutions. Tell the nation what should be done other than bringing empty accusations.

Charlie Hebdo
Charlie Hebdo
5 years ago
Reply to  mgoloso

Ironically we have adequate police officers to arrest Chilima aides for acting suspiciously. Our police indeed has become creative.

Arafat Hamdani
Arafat Hamdani
5 years ago

The power and responsibility of stopping these killings is with you ..what have you done as the president of all albino’s and the president of the killers as well as all Malawians?the answer is zero.Your inspector general sleeps on the job only wakes-up to save your political needs,i n my opinion he is a useless police sign post or symbol

Ndaonavino
Ndaonavino
5 years ago
Reply to  Arafat Hamdani

And you should also ask yourself what have done to help people with Albinism? you expect president alone to completely stop this yet you are shielding these in your localities? Very foolish arafat

Morgan
5 years ago

All these people that are police custody have not revealed as to who send them, where they take these body parts? Your government is just weak and clueless Mr president. All the investigations yield nothing and all you can do is condemn these killings. There is no solution in just condemning these acts! Don’t we have these bones in those corridors of power? Kwa a chaponda kulibe coz anangopezako ndarama. Tiyese kwa Ben Phiri!

Mchacha wa UTM
Mchacha wa UTM
5 years ago
Reply to  Morgan

Koma kwa Mchacha kwayenera kupezeka timabox ta albino bones. Mchacha amachita kuwonekeratu kuti ndi mfiti.

Mwanapwa
Mwanapwa
5 years ago
Reply to  Mchacha wa UTM

kkkkkkkkkkkk

Ndaonavino
Ndaonavino
5 years ago
Reply to  Mchacha wa UTM

Iwenso wayenera kupezeka nawo, how comes you are able to say that Mchacha ali nawo Mbuzi

123
123
5 years ago

Death penalty is the only answer Mr President. Ignorance is too much on your people unless you bring that stiff punishment that’s the only language they can understand not otherwise.

Mafana
Mafana
5 years ago
Reply to  123

Yes! Death penalty carried out by public hanging. The United States, a civilized western country, still carries out the death penalty.

chief justice
chief justice
5 years ago
Reply to  Mafana

DEATH PENALTY with HARD LABOUR! The hard labour to be served in HELL.

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