Ngolongoliwa challenges to stamp down on witchcraft over ‘bloodsuckers’
Ngolongoliwa, the paramount chief for the Lhomwe and the “mwene wa mamwene” of the Mulhako wa Alhomwe grouping has assured government and his subjects that traditional leaders under his jurisdiction will eliminate the ‘bloodsuckers’ myth and catch the suspects by the end of this month of October, 2017 through power of magic.
Ngolongoliwa made the remarks on Tuesday at PIM primary school ground in Chiradzuru district when President Peter Mutharika heard testimonies of the blood sucking victims.
Mutharika warned suspected vampires to stop terrorising communities and said if people are using witchcraft to suck people’s blood, the village chiefs should help to stamp down on witchcraft.
His calls came as a vampire scare in some districts of the southern region triggered mob violence and left about sevn people dead. Lynch mobs accusing people of vampirism have been on the rampage since mid-September.
Belief in witchcraft is widespread in rural Malawi, one of the world’s poorest countries, where many aid agencies and NGOs work.
The Paramount Chief Ngolongoliwa said the bloodsuckers myth are real and carried by some magicians who are enemies as well as underrate the power of traditional leaders.
According to Ngolongoliwa, a witchcraft or magician cannot fly or tormenting lives of people in an area without being caught by traditional leaders of the affected area saying “mfiti zazikulu ndi mafumu. Mutisiyire tithanawo tokha muma sabata awiri kuchokera relo. apulezidenti tabakagwirani ntchito yachitukuko ndipo timakunyadira kamba ka ntchito yemwe mumagwira.”
Ngolongoliwa told Mutharika that the police cannot deal with bloodsuckers but the chiefs.
“Anamapopa sawopa jombo amaopa ife mafumu. Zawufiti ndizaife mafumu, chonde tisiyileni. Sitingalore kuti wina atisokonezere ana athu,” he added.
Senior Chief Mpama of Chiradzuru district echoed with Ngolongoliwa saying they are now well equipped for the battle.
In his remarks, Mutharika pleaded with the people to stay calm as his government has deployed number of police officers to protect the community.
“If the issue at hand concern witchcraft or magic, I will leave it in the hands of Chief Ngolongoliwa because he knows it better. But as government we have tightened the security in all concerned districts,” he said.
The Malawian leader said he will come up with a committee that will look into this issue.
Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Kondwani Nankhumwa also expressed concern on the negative impact that the story of the alleged bloodsuckers has brought to the affected communities, saying it has “interrupted developmental activities.”
During an October 4 2017 media briefing in Lilongwe on the issue, Minister of Information and Communications Technology Nicholas Dausi and Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism Henry Mussa failed to explain how government planned to contain the situation.
Instead, the ministers pushed the blame on opposition parties and CSOs. They also described the bloodsuckers as ‘mythical’ and appealed for “concerted effort” to deal with the situation.
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Ah . . . my poor, benighted people! We have truly a long road to travel before we reach enlightenment! In these days of HIV, Hepatitis B, and Ebola – to name only a few of the many deadly diseases that could be contracted by sucking blood – who would possibly want to suck anybody’s blood? Do the supposed suckers ask their potential victims to go for a blood test first? This is just more evidence of the neglect of our rural people. They constitute 83% of our population, yet they have suffered neglect under successive governments. In addition to… Read more »
Vitsiru vokhulupilira zopusa.
Hey body! Why promising for people to wait. Do something now. People have got evidence that’s why silencing the deceased. If you say whats happening is myth. Do something now! The World is on stand still. we dont know who to believe. Either people or Government/Amwene wa Wamwene.
Tangonenani kuti pa sabata mwatchulawa mukhala mutaleka kumwa magaziwo basi.
Kodi ndi angati anamwalira chifukwa choti apopedwa magazi? nanga ndi angati omwe aphedwa pogaziridwa kuti ndi opopa magazi? if wopopedwa magazi afa ambiri kusiyana ndioganizidwa kuti akupopa magazi, then mafumu akudziwa bwino pazimenezo since ndi za ufiti, koma ngati afa ambiri ndiongoganiziridwa kuti akupopa magazi, midzi imeneyo ikusunga zilombo za anthu zomwe zapha anthu ochuluka, all in all kaya mwanva kuti D.P.P yango pezako Khansala mmodzi chikumayani uko kaya? Osati MP koma Kansalala kikkkkkkk!