Deputy Minister of Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare Martha Mzomera Ngwira has urged people to take care of the elderly.
She said this on Friday at Kaphatenga Primary School in Salima District during the commemoration of the 2026 World Elderly Abuse Awareness Day.
“We affirm that the dignity of older persons is the dignity of us all, because their wisdom, sacrifices and contributions have shaped the Malawi we know,” said Ngwira.
She said older persons remain the custodians of wisdom and culture and help to nurture children and resolve conflicts.
| Lovemore Khomo
“Yet despite these contributions, many of them face persistent violence, abuse, neglect, exploitation and discrimination,” said Ngwira.
She indicated that from January to June 2026, 16 older persons were brutally killed, including three in Mzimba District who were accused of practising witchcraft, but at
national level Malawi records 25 to 30 killings of elderly people annually.
Malawi Human Rights Commissioner Boniface Massah said the commemoration of the day will help people understand the abuses and find ways of resolving them.
He said: “As a country, we need a strong policy direction to address the abuse that older people face, through the Elder Protection Act.
“We urge Malawians to continue educating people about the dangers of abuse on elderly friends.”
Malawi Network of Older Persons Organisations programmes manager Goodwell Thunga emphasised the need for collaborative efforts to protect the elderly.
An elderly grandmother, Mary Mlongoti, from Mangwe Village in Traditional Authority Salima, said many grandmothers are facing abuse in their villages.
