Parliamentary aspirant Abida Mia has pledged that she is going to take concrete action to protect lives of persons with albinism in the districts of Nsanje and Chikwawa since their lives continue being threatened.
Mia made the pledge on Thursday at Chilumba Primary School in Nsanje at a political rally where she was introducing Kafandikhale Mandevana, a Shadow Member of Parliament for MCP in Nsanje Central Constituency.
“I feel bad that their lives are endangered, I would like to ask all traditional leaders in the Lower Shire to identify them so that if where they stay don’t have proper security, be it poor housing, doors that can be broken easily made of sorghum stalks, or grass thatched, that we can find them a better place to live,” said MCP Vice President’s wife.
In an interview after speaking to the gathering, Mia reiterated that she will put her words into action because she wanted to help.
“Basically what I have said is through the police and those responsible I am offering that in the interim, while we’re waiting for change of government we will ask them to check, those who live in such houses that you can easily break in, should be maintained with strong materials and we will pay for that because we don’t want any killings. It’s a sad situation,” she said.
The MCP Vice President’s wife urged the people of Nsanje to vote for Lazarus Chakwera saying he is the only one who understands people’s suffering.
She added that if MCP gets into power, killings of persons with albinism will come to an end thus restoring their freedom to movement, association and peace of mind.
Mia also called upon the people of Nsanje Central to vote for an MCP parliamentarian saying it would be difficult to implement developmental projects if they will have an opposition member of parliament.
Reacting to the pledge, Deputy Secretary General for Association of People with Albinism (APAM) Ian Simbota, has hailed Mia saying politicians should not wait until they are elected into power for then to do away with problems but should act now because people will vote them because of what they are.
“It’s a great gesture that she has shown and as APAM we’re very excited, this is a true meaning of leadership. People should not wait until somebody dies, the little they have can change somebody’s life, time is now.
“For those willing to help we encourage them to do so and we should not just leave it in the hands of government, although government is a great stakeholder, everybody can play their role,” said Simbota.
In his speech, aspirant MP, Mandevana said he was confident that he is going to grab the Nsanje Central Constituency seat because he was nominated by the local people when they noticed lack of development in the area.
“We have a lot of irrigation schemes in here that were initiated by both government and non-governmental organizations, but none of the schemes are functional leading us into perennial hunger. When I become an MP I will make irrigation schemes a priority,” said Mandevana.
He also said the area lacks sufficient clinics, schools and boreholes which he said make life difficult for women and children.
Kafandikhale Mandevana will contest against Francis Kasaila, who is the current DPP MP and Minister of Trade and Tourism on the DPP government, Sent Bande of DePeCo and Nzeru Maibeki of UTM.
