President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera Tonse Alliance administration has been urged to stop politicizing albino killings but rather focus on addressing the vice.
Social and political commentator Rodney Salamu made the comments following plans by government to open a criminal case against former President Professor Peter Mutharika and his former chief adviser Dr. Heatherwick Ntaba in connection to the killing of albinos.
In less than two minutes video clip made available to Malawi Voice, the fearless activist Salamu said it is very ‘shocking and disheartening’ to note that President Chakwera through the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) wants to politicize albino attacks and killings.
“We have noted that government is only trying to politicize albino killings by linking the vice to the former president Professor Peter Mutharika and his former aide Dr. Heatherwick Ntaba,” said Salamu while calling Malawians to rise and protect the former leader from political prosecution and torture.
He also challenged President Chakwera to quickly release a reported on albino killing which was submitted to his office by a Commission of Inquiry which was instituted by the former president Professor Mutharika the time he was the president.
In a statement released last week, Professor Mutharika denied allegations linking him to the killing of people with albinism in Malawi, accusing government of attempting to divert people’s attention from economic woes rocking the Southern African nation.
Mutharika further said that during his reign, he set up a taskforce and, later, a commission of inquiry to investigate make findings and recommendations on any matter incidental to and connected with the attacks, abduction and killings of persons with albinism.
Statistics show that since 2014, more than 170 albinos have been attacked in Malawi because of false beliefs that concoctions mixed with their body parts bring luck and wealth.
In some cases, grave robbers have exhumed corpses to retrieve albinos’ bodies. Observers say efforts to end the attacks haven’t helped much.
In 2018 the government and the United Nations developed the National Action Plan on Persons with Albinism.
The plan is designed to discourage attacks and provide albinos with greater protection, in part by giving out security alarms.
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Rhodney Salamu– is a social media influencer and commentator based at Monkey Bay in Mangochi district. He uses social media platforms to comment on various issues affecting the country.
Contact Details:
Phone: +265991394800
Email:rodanysalam@outlook.com
