Mobs have killed six elderly persons and injured 40 more between January and March this year over witchcraft suspicions, The Nation has learnt.

The figures, released by the Malawi Network of Order Persons’ Organisations (Manepo), show the worsening and unchecked abuse of elderly persons in the country on the back of an ineffective century old Witchcraft Act that no one, not even the police, are willing to invoke.

Kavala: Some still
believe in witchcraft

The absence of a harmonised strategy for dealing with abuses, including the killings that former president of the Malawi Law Society John Suzi Banda once described as “senseless and heinous” is fuelling the crisis according to stakeholders.

In separate inter views yesterday, both Manepo executive director Andrew Kavala and Senior Chief Tengani of Nsanje also attributed the lack of collaboration among stakeholders as one of the factors fuelling abuse and killings of elderly persons in the country.

Kavala said: “Most Malawians believe in witchcraft, that’s the bottom line. As long as most Malawians have a strong belief that people bewitch each other, these cases will continue.”

He faulted the Judiciary for not being proactive enough to end such cases by, among others, taking long to conclude cases as well as giving out lenient punishments.

Kavala said: “Government agencies and systems are not being proactive, these cases take long to be concluded in courts. If they were concluded in time, it could send a strong warning to would-be offenders. The continued cases symbolise the country’s lack of progress in protecting the lives and rights of the elderly persons.

“We have the bill which has not been passed to Parliament for the past four years, we have the chiefs who believe in witchcraft and they are not ready to protect their subjects, it’s a multiple of challenges on the ground which are eventually resulting in the elderly going through terrible times.”

On the other hand, Senior Chief Tengani said even though the country has got laws prohibiting such cruel acts, enforcement still remains a challenge.

“As chiefs we are doing our part, awareness and civic education its s continuous process, in meeting, schools, even during funerals. However, there are so many key players who don’t seem to care,” he said.

According to Tengani, it is common knowledge that communities out there believe witchcraft exists despite the country’s laws not recognising it.

Inkosi ya Makhosi M’Mbelwa V last year called for a proper checks on the operations of witchdoctors in the country who he accused of being in the forefront promoting beliefs and theories that have created tension and threats, especially towards the elderly who are often accused of practicing witchcraft.

Those killed included Maggie Nyengani, 72, from Phalombe who was killed by villagers who accused her of killing her grandchild and Zekison, 65, from Dedza.

Malawi’s Witchcraft Act of 1911 does not recognise the existence of witchcraft and states that it is an offence to accuse anyone of practising witchcraft.

In addition, the 2016 National Policy for Older Persons recognises the duty of the State to protect the rights of older persons in a country grappling with changes in traditional family values and the erosion of social support structures.

In December 2021, the Special Law Commission announced findings and recommendations on the review of the Witchcraft Act of 1911 and recommended a bill to Parliament to be enacted into law.

However, a grouping of people calling themselves Humanists in Malawi swiftly moved to challenge the position which, among others, is pushing for the recognition of the existence of witchcraft in Malawi.

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