Minister of Lands Deus Gumba says the government will construct more houses for people living with albinism to ensure they are living in a safe and secure environment, as promised by President Lazarus Chakwera.
Gumba said this on Wednesday at Mandala Village in Traditional Authority Muzikubola in Mzimba District when he presided over the handover ceremony of a house the government has built for a family raising two kids with albinism, Gumba said the government has so far constructed 69 homes across the country, with 49 of them fully completed and four-handed over to the owners, with the remaining ones at finishing levels.
“When President Chakwera took over the government four years ago, he promised to ensure people living with albinism are provided with decent houses to ensure their safety. The president pledged the government would provide houses to those with albinism, and this handover ceremony is a testament to the fulfilment of that promise,’’ said Gumba.
The minister further said that in this year’s budget, the government has provided more funding to cater for 15 houses to be constructed for people living with albinism.
In her remarks, Principal Secretary for the Ministry of Gender, Community Development, and Social Welfare, Dr Nertha Semphere Mgala, appealed for collaboration in protecting people living with albinism. She called on community members and organizations to join efforts with the government in providing a secure environment for people living with albinism so they could enjoy their rights to life.
“We lobby Members of Parliament to consider constructing houses in their constituencies for people living with albinism using the Constituency Development Fund. This will help in ensuring more people living with albinism have decent houses,’’ she said.
National Coordinator for the Association for People Living with Albinism (APAM), Maynard Zakalia, hailed the government for embarking on the construction of houses for people living with albinism, saying the houses will protect the families and the people living with albinism. He, however, asked the government to ensure construction works are expedited to ensure more homes are constructed.
The beneficiaries of the Mzimba house are Nicholus and Maria Mwale, aged 10 and 5, respectively. In an interview with the father of the two kids, John Mwale thanked the government for constructing the magnificent house, saying that as a subsistence farmer, he could not have built such a house singlehandedly.
‘‘This house will provide a conducive environment for my kids, and I ask the government to continue constructing such houses for more people living with albinism, ’’said Mwale.
