Tag Archives: APAM President Overstone Kondowe

Lilongwe City Council stops Albino demos organizers matching to State House

2019-03-05 Ufulu

The letter has been addressed to Apam president Overstone Kondowe, Human Rights Defenders Coalition Chairperson Timothy Mtambo and Nitta Hanjahanja.

“Section 103 of the Police Act prohibits assembly or demonstrations within the precincts of State Residents unless authorised by the president. In view of the above provision, the petition shall be delivered to Lilongwe City Council offices at the Civic Centre to the Chief Executive Officer for Lilongwe City Council,” reads a letter which LLC’s acting Chief Executive Officer, Gensher Mbwabwa has signed.

Kondowe refused to comment on the development, but, Mtambo insisted that they would proceed with the march and seek the president’s consent on the same.

“Our message to the government is that we are not in the business of their drama. These are serious issues. We maintain our position and we will go on with the vigil at [State House.] They [ council officials] say [State House] is a protected place and that is why we say it is a good place for our brothers and sisters [with albinism].

“The law says we can go to the State House by authorisation of the President. Let us hear from him. Unless President [Peter]Mutharika does not want his suffering citizens to meet him. We will conclude that he is not serious and does not want to hear our concerns,” Mtambo told The Daily Times.

Mutharika, however, will not be at Kamuzu Palace to receive the petition.

According to a programme which Chief Secretary to the Government Lloyd Muhara released on Friday, Mutharika is today expected to commission Mzimba Integrated Urban Water and Sanitation Project.

State House Press Secretary Mgeme Kalilani said Mutharika would be in the Northern Region “for a number of days”.

“As of now, the only confirmed function we have is the commissioning of the Mzimba Integrated Urban Water and Sanitation Project. After the commissioning, the President will proceed to Mzuzu where he will be for a number of days. He will perform a number of activities before he returns to Lilongwe,” he said.

Apam and the CSOs plan to hold vigils at Kamuzu Palace from March 6 to 8.

“The programme of His Excellency the President to the north for the commissioning of the Mzimba water facility is an activity that was planned a long time ago. You can check with various government departments if you wish to. And, in planning, the government did not have anything in mind, or about Apam wanting to deliver a petition or whatever they are calling it. This is a government project. It was there and it is going as planned,” Kalilani said.

Last week, Apam refused to meet Mutharika. However, a splinter group, Poor and Concerned People with Albinism had a meeting with the President on Thursday.

During the meeting, Mutharika said he is committed to protecting people with albinism in the country. He said he had instructed the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs to engage experts to investigate the issue.

He also said the government was purchasing 3000 gadgets for people with albinism to use in alerting the police when their lives are in danger.

Mutharika also announced that there would be a reward of MK5 million to people who will give information leading to the arrest of people behind the abduction and killing of people with albinism

Human Rights, Top News

Albino Association turns down Malawi President’s dialogue on vigil

2019-02-27 Maravi Post Reporter

LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The Association of Persons with Albinism in Malawi (Apam) has again rejected calls for dialogue from President Peter Mutharika, urging the President to address the concerns they have been raising with him instead.

Apam’s reaction Tuesday followed communication from Chief Secretary in the Office of the President and Cabinet Lloyd Muhara inviting the grouping and other stakeholders to a dialogue meeting with Mutharika this Thursday (tomorrow) .

But presidential adviser on Non-governmental Organisations Mavuto Bamusi said he was optimistic Apam would reconsider its position and attend the dialogue meeting.

Last week, Apam turned down two invitations to meet Mutharika at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe before their planned protest vigils slated for March 6 to 8 at the State House.

The association insisted that the President should instead meet its membership at the vigils.

In the latest attempt, Muhara issued a public statement inviting Apam and other stakeholders working towards ending challenges facing persons with albinism to a dialogue meeting with Mutharika.

The meeting is scheduled for 10am tomorrow at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe.

But Apam president Overstone Kondowe, in a statement responding to the fresh invitation, said the President knows their case as they have written his office several times.

Reads the Apam statement: “Specifically, we demand the immediate implementation of the National Action Plan which sets out clear parameters on how the myriad challenges must be addressed. Government is on record to have committed MK3 billion.

“As Apam, this is the central focus of our core demands. It is our view that this does not necessitate another forum as our demands are an open secret.”

Kondowe also said they expect government to seriously consider immediate institution of ad hoc courts to fast track conclusion of cases regarding attacks on persons with albinism.

Bamusi told the Nation Newspaper that issues raised in Apam letters require a dialogue forum with the President and government officials to find lasting solutions and make concrete commitments.

He said: “I hope the leadership of Apam will come back to its senses and realise that this dialogue is very important. The issues raised like funding for Action Plan requires that the leadership of the country and Apam sit down.

“I am very hopeful that the meeting will take place because it is a great opportunity. Answers can only come through a constructive dialogue.”

Meanwhile, the Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) has written the Police Service Commission to act on police officers that were on duty during the mysterious death of Buleya Lule, a suspect in the abduction of 14 year old Goodson Makanjira.

Malawi is experiencing a resurgence of attacks against persons with albinism, with two fatalities and three abductions since 31 December 2018. Two of those who were abducted were later rescued by community members, one remains missing.

Since November 2014, the number of reported crimes against people with albinism in Malawi has risen to 152 cases, including 25 murders and more than 10 people missing, according to Apam.

Human Rights, Malawi, Top News

US ready to offer asylum to Malawi people with albinism

2019-02-22 Maravi Post Reporter

LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-One of Malawi largest development partner, the United States of America (USA), has said it is “ready” to offer to persons with albinism—who have been subjected to immeasurable inhumane attack—asylum on condition that they follow UN procedures.

The US government’s announcement comes few days after Association of Persons with Albinism in Malawi (APAM) president, Overstone Kondowe, announced they would seek asylum since they felt they were no longer safe in the country.

Speaking on Friday, US Embassy in Malawi head of public affairs, Douglas Johnson, said his country was a “free country” and was “ready to give refugee status” to persons with albinism in the country so they can live in the America

Johnson said the only requirement was that they follow “procedures” as prescribed by the United High Comissioner Refugees (UNHCR).

But Minister of Homeland Security Nicholas Dausi dismissed the asylum calls, saying the situation had not yet reached a crisis level.

However, Apam president Overstone Kondowe said Malawi needs to accept that security and investigative measures have failed to bring tangible solutions to this national crisis.

Since November 2014, the number of reported crimes against people with albinism in Malawi has risen to 152 cases, including 25 murders and more than 10 people missing, according to Apam.

Law and order, Malawi, Top News

Malawi Court stops police from burying albino kidnap suspect until postmortem

2019-02-22 Maravi Post Reporter

LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The High Court in Lilongwe on Friday issued an injunction against burial of the body of Buleya Lule, a suspect who allegedly offered to ‘buy’ a 14-year-old Dedza boy with albinism for MK800,000 last week, until a pathologist do a forensic postmortem on his remains.

Association of Persons with Albinism in Malawi (Apam) applied for the injunction against the burial of Lule’s body, which was granted, making Malawi Police Service (MPS), through the Attorney General’s (AG) office, respondents to the matter.

The suspect died while in mysterious circumstance under the custody of police Wednesday, a day after appearing in court.

“We demand an urgent forensic postmortem by a pathologist before burial. This is a great setback. How can a key suspect die while in police custody, before revealing where he sold Goodson,” said Apam president Overstone Kondowe.

During the court hearing, Buleya repeatedly asked for a glass of water and requested to be allowed to lie on the floor because he felt dizzy.

The court learnt that Buleya and most of the accused had sustained various degrees of injuries allegedly from beatings by community members and police officers in the course of their arrest.

Human Rights, Top News

Attacks on albinos linked to elections-APAM

2018-07-23 Ufulu

The Association of People with Albinism in Malawi (Apam) has expressed fear that attacks on people with albinism will continue as the country approaches the May 21 2019 Tripartite Elections.

In 2015, Ikponwosa Ero, who is United Nations’ (UN) first Human Rights Expert on Albinism, was quoted by Reuters as saying some politicians in Africa use body parts of people with albinism as charms to widen their chances of winning elections.

Ero said attacks on people with albinism were on the rise in 2015, linking the development to a growing demand from political hopefuls for body parts which are prized in black magic in the run-up to elections.

“Persons with albinism are among the most vulnerable persons in the region. I am deeply concerned at the highly disturbing pattern of [the] increase in [cases of] attacks when elections occur,” Ero was quoted as saying.

And now, Apam president Overstone Kondowe has said people with albinism are panicking due to increased cases of attacks on people with albinism as Malawi, Zimbabwe and Mozambique prepare for national elections.

People in Zimbabwe will go to the polls on July 30 while Malawi and neighbouring Mozambique are expected to hold their national elections in May and October next year.

Kondowe said increased cases of abductions and killings of people with albinism in this period are worrisome, especially in the wake of what he described as a lukewarm approach by authorities to address the problem.

“The report by the UN expert on rights of people with albinism said there is a correlation between elections and attacks on people with albinism. As Malawi and its neighbours are conducting their elections, we are seeing an increase in the attacks and that is worrying us,” he said.

Kondowe has raised the concerns while the body of 12-year-old boy with albinism Joseph Kachingwe from Traditional Authority Jenala in Phalombe District remains missing.

So far, police have arrested eight people in connection with the missing of the boy.

Human Rights

Lack of finances stalls 122 cases of people with albinism

2017-10-25 Malawi News Agency (MANA)

The Association of Persons with Albinism in Malawi (APAM) has said lack of finances to the Legal Aid Bureau motivation to people working in the judicial system is stalling justice delivery on issues involving its members.

APAM President, Overstone Kondowe made these remarks at a press briefing at Crossroads Hotel in Lilongwe on Monday.

“Funding on murder cases is always delayed or denied and for a long time, I can confirm that the Legal Aid Bureau has not been funded.

“That makes it difficult for people affected or suspects to get legal representation,” Khondowe said, adding that some people who commit such cases have heavy financial muscles.

He added that lack of DNA test experts to give evidence on cases and the slowness of the judicial system has escalated the problem.

Alex Machila from Centre for Justice and Equity (CEJEQ) said his organization would be engaging the Ministry of justice and Constitutional Affairs to know what measures would be put in place in order for the cases to see justice soon.

“We are very concerned with this delay and it may also assist in worsening the situation because some people will think there is no justice to be faced by those committing these atrocities.

“These albino attacks resurfaced between August and September [2017]. There had been no cases until 13 October, 2017 when Slag M’balaka was attacked to be sold at K20 million,” Machila said.

According to APAM, 21 people with albinism died and 122 cases have stalled since the issue of albino attack started.

Human Rights, Consultative Committee, Chairperson, Robert Mkwezalamba, thanked President Professor Peter Mutharika for commanding the presence of the Malawi Defense Force (MDF) in the districts affected by blood sucking rumours like Mulanje, Thyolo, Phalombe and Machinga.

“There is need for collective effort to support the president in protecting people with albinism and blood sucking allegations, the developments which we condemn in strongest terms,” Mkwezalamba said.

APAM envisions a community of persons with albinism enjoying full human rights and sustainable livelihoods.

Malawi breaking news and World News. News about Malawi, Malawi Business, Malawi Tourism, Malawi Politics, Malawi News, World and Africa Top News.