Malawi Minister of Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare, Jean Kalilani on Tuesday turned the International Albinism Awareness Day into a Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) rally by starting attacking the opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP).
The event, which was held in Kasungu on Monday, saw Kalilani starting with DPP slogans and attacking the MCP leader in her preamble.
“Our president is doing enough to deal with the people who are killing and abusing people with albinism. However, the traditional opposer [Lazarus Chakwera] is saying Mutharika is doing nothing to curb the evil act.
“But I understand him, opposing is his duty and he describes any speech by the president as empty. To my surprise, he takes two weeks to scrutinize the same empty speech,” said Kalilani.
Taking the stage, President Peter Mutharika declared war on those killing and abusing people with albinism.
“You have taken away enough lives of my people. You have taken away enough peace of our people with albinism. Now you will face the war of the law,” He said.
The President highlighted what has been put in place in as far as the law catching up with those who are killing, abusing and exhuming bones of people with albinism.
“We have appointed a special prosecutor on crimes against persons with albinism because we want to prosecute the murderous criminals in courts that exact tough and merciless penalties and also the Chief Justice has directed that all cases to do with albinism will be handled by professional magistrates,
“We will prosecute anyone harbouring or sharing murderous thoughts against people with albinism in a right court with the right powers to exact the right punishment,” he promised.
In his speech, Association of People with Albinism in Malawi ( APAM) Chairperson, Boniface Masa commended the President for his commitment by setting up a committee which is looking at fighting against the killings however he said they want a Commission of inquiry to be set up to dig deep into the killings.
“We thank the president for showing commitment to deal with the killings and abuses as there are some laws that are being looked at and also there is committee that is in place however as already stated in our petition to parliament a week ago, we want a commission of inquiry, and we want it urgently. As you can see we still don’t know the root cause,” he said.
The International Albinism Awareness Day which falls on June 13 was set aside by United Nations General Assembly after the world acknowledged that the rights of persons with albinism have been under threat in many parts of the world.