Ntaba’s committee has failed to deliver, says Malawi group of persons with albinism

Presidential adviser on local policies Hetherwick Ntaba, who is also chairperson of a committee tasked to fight against abuse of persons with albinism, has been accused by Association of Persons with Albinism in Malawi (Apam) of failing to deliver with his committee.

In a statement made available to Nyasa Times, the committee  has asked President Peter Mutharika to review activities of the National Technical Committee on Abuse of Persons with Albinism in Malawi.

Apam president, Overstone Kondowe, said the Ntaba-led committee has failed to deliver to the expectations of persins with albinism and that its existence is merely ceremonial.

“The association has never heard anything from Ntaba, who was appointed to steer the fight against attacks and killings of PWAs. Kenya and Tanzania managed to end this vice because there was political will,” he said.

The persons with albinism are since calling on President Mutharika to replace Ntaba and review the committee’s membership.

Apam issued the statement as it condoled the family of the 22-year-old missing young man with albinism – in Machinga District– MacDonald Masambuka.

Masambuka was reportedly abducted on the night of March 9 2018 near Chikwewo Trading Centre.

Kondowe said his association has lost confidence in the police as well as the Presidential Committee.

“The abduction and missing of Masambuka have prompted us to lose trust and confidence in the two institutions,” he said.

Ntaba, however, defended the committee, saying it had done its best to end cases of attacks on persons with albinism.

He said they will meet the association to report on progress of the committee.

Ntaba said he has been ilobbying for the application of a death sentence to people convicted of murdering persons with albinism, saying this will deter others from abusing people with albinism.

He said their appeal for the death sentence follows a fact-finding mission which showed that a good number of people are for the sentence as a deterrent measure to would-be offenders.

Ntaba said the heinous crimes perpetrated against people with albinism can only come to an end with a stiffer punishment. He said the committee has managed to influence change of the law—amendment of the Anatomy Act to provide for stiff penalties to people who abuse persons with disabilities

 

 

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