Nankhumwa courts persons with albinism: Donates vehicle, farm inputs on International Day of People with Disabilities
Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Kondwani Nankhumwa on Thursday, December 3, 2020 pledged his personal commitment to advancing goals that raise awareness about the plight of persons living with albinism.
He was addressing executive committee members of the Poor and Concerned Persons with Albinism Association (PACPWA) and men, women and children living with albinism randomly drawn from Mulanje and Blantyre at his private residence at Luchenza. They were 60 in total.
The meeting coincided with the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD), which falls on December 3.
“My commitment towards the well-being of persons living with albinism is without question; I am fully committed that they enjoy human rights as any citizen of this country should enjoy. To this end, I wish to assure you that I shall continue to lobby the Malawi government to enact policies and laws that seek and aim to protect and promote the rights and interests of not only people living with albinism but also people with other various disabilities.
Nankhumwa, who is also MP for Mulanje central constituency, observed that persons with albinism often suffer inherent discrimination and therefore do not enjoy same opportunities for education, medical attention and business opportunities as others.
“I want to speak strongly against any form of discrimination against people based on their skin condition or any form of impairment. I wish to condemn any form of violence against and the killing of people living with albinism based on some mysterious harmful beliefs,” said Nankhumwa.
The Leader of the Opposition also condemned individuals and organizations that “unjustly enrich themselves in the name of persons living with albinism”.
“I am aware that there are some unscrupulous individuals and organizations that go around the world begging for monetary and material donations in the name of people living with albinism but that money ends up in their pockets. This is criminal, shameful and immoral. I ask such people to stop this conduct,” said Nankhumwa who also serves as opposition DPP Vice President (South).
Speaking on behalf of PACPWA, its President and Secretary General, Francis Masambuka and Ellen Khonje, respectively, thanked Nankhumwa for the interaction opportunity.
The two leaders acknowledged the exceptional contribution that Nankhumwa made in the formation and registration of PACPWA, whose primary objective is to protect and advance the rights and interests of people living with albinism.
They cited various challenges that the association is currently grappling with, among which were transportation and lack of access to loans to start small scale businesses.
Nankhumwa instantly donated a 4X4 Toyota vehicle, to which PACPWA said they were hugely appreciative. He also gave each of the 60 people two bags of fertilizer and one bag of maize seed.
On the loans, he assured them that he would be engaging government to create a special credit facility for persons living with albinism.
Albinism is an inherited genetic condition that prevents the body from making enough colour, or melanin, to protect the skin from the sun.
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Tisamve ku albino wina wasowa, paja dipipi ndima albino
I wish you had started this while DPP was in government as a good number of these were killed during the DPP rule. Up to now, we have more questions than answers on why people with albinism were being killed that time.
Komatu Nankhumwa mngochenjera. Meter amaionera patali. Apa pokha Peter Mutharika ndi nkhalamba zimzake zija sizngamake. He has already wooed support from grassroots
A good act Mr Nankhumwa, probably push further for conclusion of murder cases and arrest of all those named and involved in this filthy dirty racket i.e Dr ntabwa. This was all under DPP watch, Postmortem approach not ideal.
This what DPP leadership should be and top Party leaders should not underestimate him. He is the DPP Youths Choice, whether you like it.
Bola iwe ukugawa izo udasolora. Ena angutafuna okha basi