Foreign witchdoctors banned in Malawi

May 28, 2016 Health 73
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African-medicine

The Malawi government has banned foreign witchdoctors from plying their trade in the Southern African nation in a bid to curb a rising wave of abductions and killings of albinos.

In a statement, President Peter Mutharika’s chief political adviser Dr Hetherwick Ntaba said that only herbalists who adhere to a code of practice would be allowed to operate in Malawi.

“Foreign witchdoctors should immediately stop plying their trade in Malawi. We have just learnt that some witchdoctors who were banned in Tanzania and others from Mozambique fled to Malawi and are fuelling attacks on people with albinism. They must be deported,” said Ntaba.

African-medicineHe said the traditional doctors are convincing superstitious Malawians that albino body parts when mixed with other charms bring good luck and wealth.

Traditional Healers Association of Malawi president Frank Manyowa has welcomed the ban.

“We, the traditional healers, simply heal various ailments using plants with medicinal nutrients. It’s the foreign witch-doctors and soothsayers who are perpetrating the killings because of their belief in black magic,” he said.

He added that local magicians must be arrested and jailed while foreign magicians should deported back to their countries.

Manyowa said the only way to success is through innovation and hard work and not through the use of rituals, satanism and witchcraft.

Ntaba who is also Chairperson of the National Technical Committee on Abuse of Persons with Albinism said the government has pledged to send children with albinism to boarding schools as one way of offering them protection while guaranteeing them their right to education.

“The Ministry of Education will place children who are failing to go to school for fear of being attacked in boarding schools with appropriate security arrangements made for them,” added Ntaba.

According to Ntaba, government is concerned to learn that some children with albinism have dropped out of school for the fear of being abducted.

Government recently disclosed that it is looking for at least $500,000 to be used immediately in the crackdown of abductions and killings of people with albinism.

So far 18 albinos have been gruesomely murdered in Malawi in the past three years, according to authorities. The 18th victim is 38 year-old Fletcher Masina who was murdered in his garden in central Malawi’s district of Ntcheu on Tuesday.

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73 Comments

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  2. Government is busy protecting & setting foreign people in camp.Not setting albino’s camp for protection.

  7. kkkkkkkkk koma na apa asing’anga ayamba kugwila ntchito yawo ngati wogulitsa chamba chifukwa neighbour wako amatheka ku khala wogulitsa chamba koma iwe osamudziwa.Mr Ntaba ganizani njila yina yothetsela muchitidwe wonunkhawu chonde madzi asanatifike mkhosi pilizi

  10. Vuto ma mp anthu ambiri ndioti nawo kuti alowe parliament anakapondapo pakhomo la ng’anga ndipo ambiri andalewa nd amfiti ndithu mkona amatiuza kuti kulibe ufiti pamene ana nd makanda anthu mudzimu akusautsidwa nd anthakatiwa takumbukani sam mphasu kukhala munthu olemekezeka anakapezeka kumanda nde anthu ngati amenewa amayere angathandizepo koma???mitengo tatha mizu yayamba kusowa alowa ku ma albino nawo ndi awa pang’ono nd pang’ono akutha mawa ndife adazi

  12. Stop killing our brothers and sister we are begging that any body who found that he/she have bones/private parts of albinos must be killed before the law coz the law will just say the suspect will jailed 5yrs in prison with hard labour which u can’t compare with alife of a human being what ican say to all of u in malawi STOP KILLING OUR OWN CITIZEN COZ THEY HAVE ALBINOS SKIN instead help them.

  13. Let us throw our blame to judiciary if someone cought with bones or private parts of human must be killed fullstop no two years jail with hard labour. And witchdoctors must be banned in Malawi

  23. The ban MUST also go to all LOCAL witchdoctors.We are tired of these evils and they have no place in our Mother Land Malawi.

  24. They can be hiding but they shall be caught & the killings &abductions of our brothers and sisters With albinism will be the history, God is Great

  31. Apa plibe yankho,chofunika nchakuti,munthu wachi albino akaphedwa,abale ake onse amangidwe coz mission iyi ikumayambira pakhomo.chitsanzo,anthu amene adaotchedwa kunsanje aja,mmodzimwa iwo ndi amene adapangitsa kuti m’bale wake achi albino aphedwe.Osamango yankhula zoduka mutu apa.

    1. Man nokha mukuchita kunena kuti modzi mwa iwo ndamene anapangitsa kut bale wake aphedwe nanga enawo anaotchedweranji???tisazuzepo achibale apa malawi police mesa amati alinawo akatakwe ofufuza??

    2. Kuletsa asing’anga sinjira yotetezera abale athu amenewa, kale mchitidwewu unali kuti?? Satana watambarara pa malawi, umunthu ndi chikondi zatha pa nyasalande

  34. DPP WOYEEEEE!!!! this great. Get rid of witch doctoring full stop!!! we dont want it in our country!

    Anybody found breaching this should be given life imprisonment! lets protect our Albinos! Foreigners should not dictate how our country runs! Malawians are free people let them thrive!

  36. not just bun them but burn them even our own local asing,anga must be burned to ashes we are sick and tired of this witches and wizards

  40. I dont think it will be possible, becouse dziko lathu ndilophweka malowedwe ngati ma illigal migrant ali mbwe! How can we control them? Our country is full of mercies

  41. I dont think it will be possible, becouse dziko lathu ndilophweka malowedwe ngati ma illigal migrant ali mbwe! How can we control them? Our country is full of mercies

  45. Just banning foreign witchdoctors is not enough to curb the senseless malaise of butchering our albino brothers and sisters. Government should seriously consider screening all local traditional doctors as well. For a long time I have wondered why traditional doctors are not regulated by law. They even enjoy the freedom of openly advertising their work while the legal medical profession is denied such an opportunity.

    In their adverts they mention things like; charms for prosperity, charms for promotion at work and many more. For these charms to work wonders there is a sacrifice attached so they say. Unfortunately now our albino brothers and sisters have found themselves in the firing line for the provision of such charms. This development is barbaric and need to be halted. The albinos are like you and me. They also need peace and freedom. They need the same dignity to live without discrimination just like each one of us.

    The government should therefore seriously consider regulating the practice of traditional doctors. Advertisements by witch and traditional doctors should be made illegal. Anyone traditional doctor contravening the laws should be fined heavily and also be put behind bars for as long as possible. The government needs to grow sharp teeth and bite viciously to deter other would be offenders.

    All well meaning Malawians regardless of: political party, race, religion or status, should be vigilante in ensuring that such satanic elements are not given space to breathe. People with albinism live in our communities. Let us protect them so that they too should enjoy the benefits of living amongst their brothers and sisters.

    This battle is a no holds barred battle. Once these undesirable elements who are killing our brothers and sisters are apprended they need to be taught a lesson which will make them regret why they were born. The government should come out strong on this. No kid glove treatment on these sick satanists.

  46. that’s exactly I was saying … plan two any sangoma using bones ,I mean any bone must be arrested,tanzania witchdoctors must be napped and bitten

  47. that’s exactly I was saying … plan two any sangoma using bones ,I mean any bone must be arrested,tanzania witchdoctors must be napped and bitten

  48. That is a starting point. But these foreign zombies have already rubbed off the brutality to locals. Next is the local. Very stiff waring as you sensitized on witchcraft accussations. For example,chiefs were sensitised and we have seen the results.each DC should summon TAs in his district and ask them to warn the sing’angas. After all these hebalists are licenced. All licences should be revoked. Let new deal be done. With warnings against subscribing body parts. Just humble thoughts.

  51. I would like to express my happiness on the ban of foreign traditional healers.Though late in terms of lives already lost, however, it is a good move in a right direction.All the best to our leadership as they continue fighting against those who would like to damage the image of our nation.

  54. The killing of people with albinism will end only when the government close the target market of agreed bone.I hope malawi government knows very well about this,don’t fools Malawians we are not babies Otherwise STOP talking nonsense and forget it.

    2. Ndingakupatse list ya anthu odziwika bwino amene akulimbikitsa ntchitoyi akumangidwawo ndi adyera kuthiko,ataya makoko chabe.Ndipo ntchotoyi idayambidya 2014 ndi makhumucha ndipo ili worse boma la Machinga. Ngati ungandifune personally undipedza.

    3. Ndingakupatse list ya anthu odziwika bwino amene akulimbikitsa ntchitoyi akumangidwawo ndi adyera kuthiko,ataya makoko chabe.Ndipo ntchotoyi idayambidya 2014 ndi makhumucha ndipo ili worse boma la Machinga. Ngati ungandifune personally undipedza.

    4. Koma izi ndi zoipa kwambiri, simchitidwe wabwino omaphana ndi kudulana ziwalo chonchi. Vuto ndiloti zikuwawa osaukafe koma andalamawa alibe nazo vuto coz ndalama zawo zikuchokera mumagazimo.

    1. Man osamatukwana ndikudziwa kuti mtima ukuwawa komabe Control mtimawo.Vuto ndiife sitimapanga umodzi,eg kuno ku Mangochi zikafika pavuta timanyamuka tokha ndikugwira omwe tikuwaganizirawo without wa Police,in this Issue zikungofunika tikawapeza oganiziridwawo kuthananawo be4 Police

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