First Lady Madame Monica Chakwera has bemoaned the increase in cases of abuse against the elderly in the country despite efforts to protect the senior citizens.

Madame Chakwera made the remarks in Chiradzulu on Monday when she, in her capacity as Matron for Malawi Network of Older Persons Organisation (MANEPO), paid a surprise visit to Chiradzulu District Hospital to cheer a 72 year old Lignet Chapule who was physically assaulted on January 8th this year on suspicion that she had been practicing witchcraft.

The First Lady observed that just last year, in Chiradzulu alone, close to 26 cases of abuse against older men and women were recorded in the district.

“This should be a worrisome situation to a lot of people. I, therefore, call upon law enforcement agencies to investigate the issue,” she said.

MANEPO Executive Director, Andrew Kavala, pledged to follow up the issue to ensure that the accomplices are brought to book.

Kavala expressed gratitude to the First Lady for cheering the elderly at the hospital.
Malawi has close to 800,000 elderly men and women.