By Morton Sibale, MANA
Minister of Gender, Children, Community Development and Social Welfare, Patricia Kaliati has disclosed that government has set aside K3.1 Billion Kwacha to help in the protection of persons with albinism, who has been victims of gruesome attacks and murder in Malawi in recent years.
The Minister Kaliati was speaking on Wednesday when she presented a guitar to Levison Saidi, a boy with albinism at Traditional Authority Mazengela in Lilongwe Mpenu Constituency.
The guitar was donated by UTM partners in diaspora after being impressed by Saidi’s talent when Saidi performed with a locally made guitar at one of the campaign rallies held by UTM president and State Vice President Saulos Chilima.
In her speech, Kaliati assured all persons with albinism that they should stop living in fear as the current government (led by President Lazarus Chakwera) has put in place measures to help, support and protect them.
“Our ministry is assuring persons with albinism that we will protect them. We have set aside over K3.1 Billion which will go towards many areas aimed at protecting and empowering people with albinism,” Kaliati said.
According to Kaliati, that money will among other things go towards mobilization of security, educational support to ensure that children with albinism are being accommodated in boarding schools, as well as supporting court cases when required.
“We are working with the police and the Ministry of Justice (and Constitutional Affairs) to protect our people and ensure that perpetrators of attacks on persons with albinism are adequately dealt with.
“Currently, we are trying to accelerate 169 court cases that we have so that justice should prevail as soon as possible,” said Kaliati.
Commenting on the remarks, Association of Persons with Albinism (APAM) National Coordinator, Overstone Kondowe, expressed hope that the new administration will listen to the needs of his association with regards to the issue of security of people with albinism.
“As an association, we would like to have surveillance in all hotspots. We would also appreciate if government puts in place community security alarms connecting persons with albinism and law enforcers, instead of just whistles,” said Kondowe.
Attacks on people with albinism have been a recurrent issue in recent years with President Lazarus Chakwera promising during his campaign that he will put an end to the acts once voted into power.
