By Falles Kamanga
With two and a half months towards elections, we have seen the opposition getting more and more desperate.
This is at the face of prospects of not being able to present proper sellable policy to convince Malawians to support them.
In their desperation, the opposition has resorted to extreme propaganda and smear. This time, they are using the people with Albinism as their political pawns. A pawn is the smallest piece on the chessboard, used and sacrificed whenever the player wants to gain some advantage.
The plot to use people with Albinism as a campaign tool started a while back. When people were abducted in January, the opposition was too quick to kick their plan into gear.
The opposition came out vocal about condemning the abductions and killings. But, there was no nobility in their “sympathy”. They had a bigger plot, which would later get exposed mid-February.
President Peter Mutharika released a stern statement condemning the killings. He gave an executive order to the security cluster to do all in their power to investigate and apprehend the killers. Judiciary has to expedite the conclusion of the albino killing cases on the roll.
However, that was not enough for the opposition-backed HRDC, led by Mtambo and Trapence, went behind everyone’s back to draft a letter for the UN. Blindsided, the UN to sent a letter “instructing the President” of Malawi to act on the issue of Albino killings.
Fortunately, the attempt by Mtambo was exposed. The UN privately apologised to the government for the letter – indicating that they thought that the HRDC was raising human rights issue.
To further show a lack of need to address the issue, MCP leader Chakwera went to podiums to claim that he can only protect Albinos if he is at the state house. The question is, will he “protect them”, or he will simply inform the people who are killing the albinos to stop?
In their desperation, they have resorted to extreme measures. Insiders from the party say that the parties have no money.
The propaganda smear they conduct is sophisticated in nature. It uses the emotive issue of Albino killings, but their focus and plan is to make it look like a government problem, knowing very well that the government has put all the resources on resolving the issue.
Mtambo went on to make a pathetic claim on various media houses that “State is involved in Albino killings”. Mtambo and Trapence have now captured and co-opted APAM into their opposition-aligned agenda.
The opposition on the other hand, are generating “supporting” hoaxes in the form of voice notes and FAKE NEWS articles. “Winiko” Bon Kalindo runs the “voice notes generation” unit. They parade Albinos at Rally podiums. Unfortunately, some Malawians may not know the fiction from the truth.
A recent revelation from a leaked WhatsApp plot shows how far opposition party is prepared to go. In the message, they are plotting that “an Albino must be abducted and killed soon so that they can put pressure on the President.”
With elections drawing to a close, the extent at which the opposition is prepared to go to destroy the country for votes becomes more shocking. Let them campaign, but at least, they must not stage killings, abductions of Albinos and share propaganda about it.
We are one nation. At the end of the day, 21 May will come and go – but the scars of the wounds that the opposition parties are going to cause with their evil plot will remain with us forever. Seeing Albinos used as political pawns is beyond heart breaking.
