People with albinism begs Chilima: ‘Please do something today, Please!’
President of the Association of People with Albinism (Apam) Overstone Kondowe visited Vice President Saulos Chilima’s Aare 12 Residence where he delivered a tearful speech about the desperation of people with albinism who are being killed like animals.
In a moving speech, Kondowe, who kept referring to Chilima as ‘Mr. President’ said people with albinism ‘cannot bear another attack, one more attack, one more assault will be too much to bear’.
“Mr. President, last night I went to bed, not sure whether I would wake up in my own bed or not. I went to bed not sure I would wake up with my limbs intact or not.”
“I went to bed, not sure I would witness one more beautiful sunrise or not… Not because I am terminally ill, and the Doctor has given me a few hours to live, but because I and my brothers and sisters with Albinism are being sought after, to be killed, our organs harvested and sold perhaps for a bag of gold and silver,” Kondowe told an attentive Chilima.
“Mr. President, at the deepest of despair, when I consider death to be an end to this suffering, there too I am reminded that death will not let me rest… death will not bring peace to this suffering… because even in death, my tomb will be desecrated, my grave opened up and my bones harvested. Even in death, there is no rest, there is no peace for persons with Albinism in Malawi.”
“Mr. President, as a President of the Association of Persons with Albinism in Malawi, (APAM), today I am not here to deliver a speech to you. I am here to make a plea to you. Please do something today. Please do something today. We cannot bear another attack…One more attack, one more assault will be too much,” said an emotional Kondowe.
He said government developed a National Action Plan for persons with Albinism (2018-2023) and this was a ray of hope to persons with Albinism but wondered on the list of government priorities.
“To date no dime, no cent has been committed by the government to implement this plan. No structure exists to implement this plan. To date, that Action plan is still just a bunch of paper that makes no difference in the lives of persons with Albinism.”
“As persons with Albinism, we feel let down by our government. As citizens of this country, we feel cheated and shortchanged. We have been given a cheque, yet the bank says there is no money in this account,” said Kondowe.
He said apart from people with albinism living in perpetual fear of being abducted and of being killed, they also have limited opportunities to education, justice, health, skills development and employment.
In cases where one is successful to have access to such, they are often met with institutions and services that are not tailor-made to the special needs of persons with Albinism. Institutions often times are just unresponsive to our needs.
“Mr. President, there are only 13,000-15,000 persons with Albinism in Malawi. Surely, that is not too big a population to protect. That is not too big a population to educate. That is not too big a population to provide health services for. With a leadership heart that is willing, with proper planning and targeting, we believe our needs can be met by our own government. As persons with Albinism, we do NOT believe that our challenges are insurmountable,” said Kondowe.
“We need action now. We want to see this country as our own like anybody else. We are tired of empty promises that have lingered in our minds for the past 4 years. We are pleased to tell you that during campaign, you should be raising awareness on the persons with albinism and outright condemn the attack and bring those involved to book,” added Kondowe.
“You may wish to know that on 3rd March, we are holding a vigil at the State House to demand with aim of pile pressure on government in-order our needs are met with urgency. As such, we need your support in terms of finances, materials and your presence towards the vigil,” said Kondowe.
“Our lives are at the mercy of murderers. We are not even aware of what will become of us a second after this meeting and what our fellow brothers and sisters are experiencing right now. We need your commitment to this!” begged Kondowe.
Since November 2014, the number of reported crimes against people with albinism in Malawi has risen to 152, including 25 murders and more than 10 people missing, according to Apam.
Malawi Government is facing accusations that it has failed people with albinism whose fundamental right to life is at stake.
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Even in USA they kill murderers. A couple of year I was in San Diego, and they hanged one first degree murderer. Why not here then? My colleagues of APAM, make no mistake by accommodating these so called human rights defenders, they are hypocrites, they are the ones who protect your assassins in the name of human rights. Don’t also align yourself with the opposition political party leaders as this will distance yourself with the government. Be neutral. In fact opposition parties have no clues also. Chilima is in Government and has been for last four years, he never came up with solution. MCP is a bigger party in Parliament, even them they never suggested any solution. Engage with government. My message to government is: don’t do business as usual guys anymore, this is becoming a national critics. You can lose donor confidence. Do action not just condemning, kill the killers now. You can not do the same thing, the same way and expect a different result.
My blame goes to the UN, Amnesty Int. and the so called Human rights defenders. The like of Mtambo and Trapence. They are indirectly responsible for this mess by protecting the murderers in the name of human rights. They say murders must not be murdered because they have human rights, ignoring the rights of victims. Surpringly they are also number ones in blaming government. Nonsense. As far as I know man does not fear words alone, man fear words accompanied by action. This nonsense can’t happen on Russia, China, Middle Eastern countries, even some in Africa and all over the world. To me an intentional murderer must me murdered.
Simple. If you deliberately murder a person you automatically lose your right to life as you don’t respect life. My advice to government is simple, clear and straight forward: IF YOU DON’T SENTENCE TO DEATH THESE MURDERERS, FORGET ABOUT ENDING THIS MALPRACTICE. Aneba pompa apa pa Kenya have convicted to death a Policeman who intentionally killed a detainee. Do you think you are more righteous than them Kenyans? Do you think you are holly than Chinese? Stupid Mtambo, stupid Trapence and your colleagues, you are partially responsible for this.
nonse amene mukupanga ma comment apapa ndi ma cadet ovula azimayi komaso amene mukupa ma albino , antu ngati amupeza vice president chalakwika ndichani mesa ali mboma momo akuziwa kayendesedwe kazintu komaso pakulakwika akupaziwa inu ndi umbuli wanu mungoona za ma resource it goes beyond that uchisilu , page yonse kumangocomenta muntu mmozi cadet kumangosita maina your stupid fulls agalu muchoka mboma chaka chake ndichino , you have nothing to offer stupid gods
DPP inalowa m’boma 2015. Munthu oyamba kuphedwa wa alubino anaphedwa 2015 yomweyo. Sindikunena kuti dpp ikupha ma alubino koma nzodabwisa. DPP ndikuona ngati ikukhwimira ndale ndi ma alubino
Big mistake to politicize this issue of killing our countrymen/women, pathetic as it is disgusting. There is no Party that benefits from this, and “Apam” know this very well. Sure, consult all political leaders, AND the other stake holders; but don’t let off the hook the law enforcers, Malawi Police, and the Justice system. The Police, especially, have failed us in this area.
And, to pump up Kandebvu Chilima, by calling him Mr President, is only preparing him to fall from higher ground in May. The guy is always overrating himself and his organization skills. Just check out the latest political surveys!
The DPP Leed government are involved in this act and expect nothing from Malawi Police
They went to SKC not APM not Chakwera. That says something.
Both Muntharika and Chilima are power hungry and have miserably failed us….
The best place where this Group would have visited is the Office of Inspector General of Police..(IG)
By visiting these power hungry politicians, the group is DRAMATISING as well as POLITISIZING the problem… a thing which is not good.
i have been trying to contact Apam on facebook and WhatsApp to help out my message has been read and ignored so am wondering how we can help when were are ignored
Its not all about you you spoiled brat. Get off your lazy ass and go find them. People are being killed and you want talk about yourself and your petty feelings. Fuck you!
Why can’t the government make a camp for our fellow innocent brother and sisters and provide them with full security there .This is indeed too much with empty promises.please Mr president do something
Why should you turn your own citizens into refugees? What we need are punishments on the perpetrators.
KKK SKC Kukopera zilizonse, Achakwera asapange kanthu, nanunso mwakopera. Chakwera was talking from a genuine heart and you come with your fake version politicizing it all.
Siukudziwa zimene ukunena
The difference between the meeting with Chakwera and SKC is thus that Chakwera promised to do something if voted into power. This was not consoling to APAM. APAM went to SKC for Action Now! Not action “within one year” as Chakwera put it. APAM believe SKC can act now. And he has done so recently. The fuel issue is one such problem he solved on the spot.
I believe if the president can introduce a hit squad within the police service and defence force and also pin all the prime suspect. All these nonsense will stop. Don’t handle the suspects with kid gloves and understand that this is a national issue
God please protect our brothers with albinism, the Malawi government and the police have failed to protect them. The GOM and MP have talked a lot but nothing to show please do something our God, reveal the master minders of these brutal killings, and those hired to kill, convict them Lord by your Holy Spirit. Jeremiah 27:32 The Bible says that there is nothing too hard for you, do something Lord. Heal our nation and hear the cry of our fellow Malawians created your own image, see their tears Lord and wipe them. In Jesus name we have prayed, AMEN.
So far there is no one to respect.
They are all just paying lip severice.
WHO, WHO IS KILLING OUR BROTHWRS AND SISTERS.
WHO.
Why did APAM have to go entreat the Vice-President and not Prof Mutharika who is the President of the republic?
Simple. Because when Chilima speaks, govt does something ( The driver who is driving this vehicle called Malawi is perpetually asleep on the wheel)
APAM’s visit to Chilima was not amiss. What an endorsement!
APAM, went to the right door to knock, the Vice President’s office. He is the second most powerful person in the land amd he should do something about the albino killings. I dont want to hear “ndikadzalowa m’boma, ndidzathana ndikuphedwa kwa ma Albino” kind of responses to APAM’s request from him. Time to act is now. He is already a VP.
Obvious u know danm well who is at the Ministry of homeland security and who the the IG is royal to for his job security ? He SKCs hands are still tied those people can’t let him take the credit for any solutions as a matter of fact they will frustrate the process for their own political gains!! its only “Ndikadzalowa m’mboma basi lets face it” at least him them the albino community unlike APM enjoying his english breakfast at State House cares less of national issues (women insults, cadet terror, MBC, corruption, escom, our taxes, etc) Its up to your vote to solve this problem choose wisely if you care for the albino brothers.
Mchona avomereze kut wakalamba (wakota). Dziko la Malawi likufunika achisodzera ili
As much as we condemn in the strongest of terms the plight of our brothers and sisters living with albinism. However, don’t politicize this whole issue. Yesterday Apam people were with Dr Laz doing a press conference, today with SKC begging him as if He is the president, tomorrow then who? This is a national crisis, an emergency not political party issue. Let us not mix politics with this issue. All stakeholders must come together and work together. Even if we change govt but if the witch doctors are still out there paying for the body parts then we will be back to square one.
These people are being hunted and killed and the government is not able or willing to stop these attacks, so what do you expect the victims to do? They should just sit at home and hope Chimulirenji and APM will eventually assist them?? They are being KILLED, perhaps they should just sit phwiii like the president and pray that the murderers finish them off quickly?
I applaud them for going everywhere to seek assistance.
Don’t pretend to be witch doctors who kill the people with Albinism.
Witchdoctors have been around since our Jesus time which means they have bn in existence for Centuries but there were no killing of people with Albinism.
The main Culprit are not the Witchdoctors but real big fish are around who practice satanism.
So bcoz our leaders are also scared of satanic attack that’s why they are quite but they know it’s satanic .
Even those people who have been caught are scared to reveal the real Culprit bcoz they are also told once revealed they will be dead the next day.
Thus much research and as my name suggests, I only tell the truth bcz I know it pains.
This was stage managed by SKC and his UTM bus yopanda ma burekisi as a campaign stunt, yes stunt. This is the problem of having presidential candidates who come from background of salesmanship (Airtel). Komanso compare usage of your Aitel units and TNM units!!!. You see Malawians brothers and sisters, open up your eyes.
Our brothers and sisters with albinism are intelligent people and they know or should have known that SKC is not the president of this country, hence does not have control over the resources. We all know that the president to rule this country after elections of May 2019 will be known be known after elections. Therefore, it was a waste of time and resources to go to Plot No. 2 beg for protection. Even SKC himself is begging from protection from APM right now. It is not 100% known now who will be at Plot No.1 after elections. Will it be still APM, or Lazaro, or JB, or SKC?
It is ethically and spiritually wrong for political parties to use disabilities of our brothers and sisters as a campaign strategy and these things may lead you to lose the vote.
What SKC should have done was to advise brother Kondowe and his team to go to APM and beg for protection. The vigil planned are ok if is for APM to listen more attentively than before! But going to SKC before he is president of Malawi was a complete mis-judgement.
The practice of going after people with albinism was being practiced in Malawi long time ago. But then people were afraid of HKB of MCP and his secret police. So it is believed they were doing it but very very secretively. But times have changed and nobody fears Government machinery. These days when they get arrested they get bail; the police have become corrupt to the core; the gap between rich and poor has widened and those and the poor are rushing to get rich quickly even through satanic practices like this one.
A few years ago, this was a huge issue in Tanzania. It was the first time I heard that body parts of our brothers and sisters with albinism are being used to get rich. This wave possibly moved to Malawi. And I hope, God forbid, it will not proceed to Mozambique and Zambia.
Does anyone know what the Tanzanians did to stem the malpractice? May Kondowe’s team could help Government by conducting visits and research.
The fact is that no one person can eliminate this malpractice but an institutionalized approach to problem solving will do.
I agree that this is a staged move by SKC and UTM to appear as hopefuls for Malawi. How can the whole APAM tell SKC to include the issue of albinism in their campaign when they know that they can help from the “Mr President”? Think Malawians think and APAM desist from being used by politicians
Comment yotereyi ikuonetseratu kuti mukumva kuwawa, kumva kupweteka….Tsogolo lathu lafika
The truth is that People in Malawi , and Majority of them are happy with APM and they would rather vote for APM than listening to this small population of people with albinism. It would have been easy to politicise this issue and influence change of government only if these people were in large number to influence the votes…..So much as,the truth is painful, Apm,Govt is too passive to deal with this problem, coz they dont take it as a prioriy…
. Government need to look at all possible factors that cause the abductions and all possible players in this type of business and ban them completely…
Ndiwe galu kwambili. I hope nawe ozabereke albino mmodzi. Ukanene kuti listening to the cries of people with albinism is of no importance but loving APM and voting for him. Idiot! Nawe ubereke wako nde uzalaweko ziphinjo akukumana nazo anthu. Mbuli ya munthu Iwe.
I hope the president to be will do something to end this evil. Agogo has run out of ideas to do anything apart from letting idiots kneeling down to get some useless papers. Time to go.
Just fast track MP Bon Kalindo’s trial so that he should reveal what he knows about the network as he said he knows who is behind this after he spends time in police cell. The politicians, the clergy & human rights organisations, investigative journalists, the judiciary & the police you have an opportunity to start from but if you don’t mobilise to fast track his trial some sectors might suspect you to be within the so called network.
SKC straight endorsement to presidency
Whether one likes it or not, the writing is on the wall that this is an endorsement of Chilima for Malawi’s President by people with albinism. He is their last and only hope to end the killings.
yeah this is right choice from Mr Kondowe.
Vuto ili kuti lichepe opezeka olakiwra Albino adziphedwa instantly
What a moving speech
I suggest a meeting of our political and other influential leaders especially the state President, state vice President, MCP president, the religious and human rights group leaders , inspector general of police ,the Chief Justice and Apam executive director and its president on the protection of people with albinism and agree on funding modalities of the plan so that it is implemented.
Seems a creation of a parallel executive organ.
Very sad development! Dpp has failed Albinos! On 21st May you are packing! Tatopa nanu
This is a shame to us Malawians that we should be know as people that kill fellow citizens over such foolish and ridiculous defeats.
Do we have leaders in this country? Is there a president in charge who can stand in front of Malawians and say enough is enough!? Unfortunately the truth is that we dont have such a leader in the state house.
Government should ban or eliminate witch doctors or traditional herbalists who market body parts for albino persons.
In the alternative the traditional herbalist association in Malawi should be taken to task to curb these killings or else the association be banned.
It’s the belief in traditional witch doctors that is a root cause in albino killings.
Government is handling herbalist with kid gloves by allowing them to operate freely by cheating people to obtain riches over night yet the herbalist himself is poor, and even advertise on MBC where the opposition is not even allowed.
What was Chilima’s response? I think zangotibalalikitsa anthufe . This is terrible.
Foseki shit DPP Leeds government the big fish is involved that’s why the Police will do Nothing.. Remember Cashgate was first discovered because it was Audited by Outside ouditors from UK. To find these Criminal’s you need outside side help from UK to catch the criminals.
I repeat the current Malawi Police will cover up because the Big fish is involved
So it had to take the whole committee of APAM visiting Chilima’s house for him to say something against the killing of albinos and the ineptitude helplessness and indifference that his Govt for which he is the Vice President has demonstrated in this crisis.Shame!
Why is Peter Mathanyula still a president of this country? Bolanso a Mayi to be honest, this guy is indeed a dead walking man. Our hope is Chilima basi, not gogo wa 81 yrs uyu aaaa. Zipitani kwanu ku America mwatikwana kwambiri ok
Kodi asing’anga akuti ali ndi mankhwala oti ukhoza kulemela hav to be cornered