Undule worried with killings of ‘wizards and witches’ in Karonga: ‘President must take action’
Veteran human rights defender, Undule Mwakasungula, has weighed in on the rampant killings of men and women who have been accused of witchcraft, especially in his home district Karonga, describing it as a national crisis that requires “urgent and critical attention.”
Since December 2019, over eight lives have been lost in Karonga and Chitipa district alone; and, Mwakasungula said the development was overly worrisome.
He said, through a media statement issued Friday, that if the situation continues to be underrated more innocent people and families will continue to lose their lives and property.
“Since December 2019, Malawi, especially Karonga, has been making headlines on the killings and destroying property of people accused of practicing witchcraft. This is sad because, in most cases, it the poor and the elderly who suffer the most with development as the greatest loser,” reads Mwakasungula’s statement.
According to him, the limited knowledge on human rights by communities compounded by the culture of superstition is a driving force of witchcraft related mob justice in the country.
He said the recent national protests against government and some leaders have empowered Malawians to take the law into their own hands; therefore, inflicting torture, suffering and death on fellow innocent citizens.
Ubdule then called upon President Peter Mutharika to initiate a national dialogue on the witchcraft related mob justice in the country.
On short term, Mwakasungula suggested that government through the Malawi Police Service (MPS) should immediately arrest the perpetrators of the vices.
“I believe delay in arresting and bringing the suspects to justice could be one of the factors motivating others to continue torturing and killing people believed to be practicing witchcraft,” said Mwakasungula in a telephone interview with Nyasa Times.
He also urged religious leaders to intensify preaching the word of love and co-existence in communities, aside condemning any forms of mob justice.
Nyasa Times has learnt recently that a hoard of witchdoctors have been invited in a number of districts in Karonga for exorcism.
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Aswelele, WHERE IS YOUR MAN MTAMBO WITH HIS BAND ON DEFENDING HUMAN RIGHTS? This is one of it. Ombudsman where are you? All of you and sundries rushed to Msundwe for a good cause. But is Karonga issue not a good cause for your immediate actions and noise making. KUNGOTI DUUU.Bwanji zatani. Always wanting to make YOUR NAMES! What about the gang of lawyers from the North that rushed to defend the electoral case, can you not do the same with Karonga issue which is more wanting than the case just mentioned. SHaaaaaaaaaa. Revolting
Its how the government reacts on the other perpetrators. If all perpetrators of this act are taken to custody at a police and army joint operations ,no fool can dare to kill in the name of witches in day light butchering. Dausi is not doing enough to cub such malpractices.
A backward President for a backward country still stuck in ancient beliefs of Witchcraft. No development, no innovation, no ambition, zero sense of purpose. Surviving on alms from the white colonial masters, 50 years after independence. Sad.
All these things are happening during the reign of your Brother Clement Mwakasungula, all along these things never happened in Karonga but because your family believes too much in ufiti that’s the reason people are being killed like ngumbi. Inu too much kukhulupirira za ufiti. Agalu inu .
Law should take action and not president. Law reigns supreme and not president.
What good ever came out of karonga? So kwaonso kwa openga uyu kyungu? Nanga choncho kungatuluke zabwino?