Malawi Parliament reject death penalty abolition

Parliament has shot down a proposal to abolish penalty in Malawi, a development that has disappointed campaigners.

The issue stirred heated debate and divided opinion on Wednesday in the House with some against the abolition to punish those found guilty of mercilessly killing persons with albinism.

Some further argued the death penalty would deal with those behind the brutal killings of the elderly people suspected of practicing witchcraft.

But Mulanje Bale lawmaker, Victor Musowa strongly opposed the whole idea of abolishing the death penalty.

He added it would not make sense to be feeding these people under life imprisonment; describing it as a waste of public resources.

Earlier, the Legal Affairs Committee of Parliament had indicated that through its wide consultations, over 90 percent of Malawians were in support of the abolition of the death penalty.