FILE: Lhomwes protesting in Blantyre

The Chairperson for Mulhako Wa Alhomwe, one of the cultural groupings in the country, Leston Mulli has accused Tonse Alliance administration of persecuting people belonging to the Lhomwe belt.

Mulli was speaking during Mulhako Wa Alhomwe’s annual festival preparatory meeting held at Chonde Headquarters in Mulanje district.

He said Lhomwe people are being treated as ‘refugees or illegal immigrants’ in their own country.

Among others, Mulli cited the mass unlawful arrest and dismissal of all of Lhomwe people in senior positions in government departments as some of the examples of political persecution and suffering the Lhomwes are going through.  

“We {Lhomwes} are suffering in our own country, it seems we have a certain group of people who are more Malawians than us,” said Mulli while calling upon the government to treat all Malawians equally regardless of race, culture and place of origin.

He added: “We cannot continue to be living in fear in our own country; you can arrest and persecute us the way you want but we are not afraid, we will always forge ahead in unity.”

Both Presidential Spokesperson Anthony Kasunda and Government spokesperson Gospel Kazako were not immediately available for their response.

Last month, Mulhako Wa Alhomwe conducted demonstrations against ‘continued political persecution’ in Phalombe and Blantyre districts respectively.

Mulhako Wa Alhomwe was established in 2007 by former president the late Bingu wa Mutharika.

The Lhomwes are largely concentrated in Chiradzulu, Mulanje, Phalombe, Thyolo and some parts of Blantyre and Zomba.

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