President Peter Mutharika’s directive that the Malawi Police Service (MPS) introduce mass protection for children with albinism in selected boarding schools has met reservations from other stakeholders.
The directive was disclosed by Inspector General of Police, Lexten Kachama, who further said implementation has already been piloted at Ekwendeni in Mzuzu and Chilanga in Karonga.
“We are trying to encourage that a boarding school [where students with albinism will be learning] be identified, if that fails here in Rumphi, they [students] can be taken to Ekwendeni where albino boys and girls are being kept for security[while they continue with their education],” said Kachama.
However, Federation of Disability Organisations in Malawi (Fedoma) and Association of Persons with Albinism in Malawi (Apam) have pointed at the flaws of the arrangement arguing that it is not enough to address the problems faced by people with albinism in the country.
Fedoma Executive Director, Action Amos, said institutionalising people with albinism is not a solution rather, there is need to come up with holistic measures of protection.
“We want these issues to be mainstreamed rather that where we would have albino schools. On the other hand, the arrangement does not look at the situation in their homes as well as addressing the risk adults [with albinism] face,” said Amos.
Apam President, Overstone Kondowe, said though the arrangement shows effort by the government in dealing with the problem of abduction and killing of people with albinism, is fails to tackle the issue wholesomely since people with albinism who are not in schools are still unprotected.
“This protection is going towards learners in boarding schools only. What do we do with those that are not in such institutions? It is not a complete solution to the situation. We would prefer the police to increase visibility in remotest areas,” said Kondowe.
He reiterated an earlier call to tighten security in communities and districts that have registered more cases of abductions and killings of people with albinism.
“In most cases, it is too far for the communities to reach out to police when such things happen, so it would have been better and proper that members of the community be armed with protective equipment for easy protection,” said Kondowe
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