Apam sets aside K10m for vigils
Association of Persons with Albinism (Apam) has budgeted K10.4 million to feed and accommodate 200 members drawn from all districts to take part in the planned vigil which is slated for March 6-8 2019.
Apam president Overstone Kondowe told the press in Lilongwe on Friday that they will go ahead with their planned vigil at State House to demand commitment and protection for people with albinism (
“So far we have 200 delegates from all districts we are going to feed and accommodate during the three-day vigil. We have a budget of K10.4 million mobilised from well-wishers,” he said.
Kondowe said the vigil will still go on despite President Peter Mutharika’s recent assurances of security to PWAs on Thursday, arguing that several commitments have been made in the past but were never fulfilled.
On Thursday, Mutharika hosted about 50 PWAs under a banner of Poor and Concerned People with Albinism (Pacwa), a splinter group from Apam, at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe where, among others, he promised to release funds for a four-year National Action Plan the two parties (government and Apam) agreed on last year.
During the engagement which Apam boycotted, Mutharika also pledged a K5 million reward to any person who gives information that will lead to busting the syndicate of abduction and killing of persons with albinism.
But reacting to the commitments, Kondowe said there is nothing new in what the President promised and that the monetary reward is not necessary as there are already options that can lead to busting the syndicate.
“What is the K5 million reward for? Why can’t we just make use of the suspects who are already in custody on alleged involvement in the syndicate? This is an indication of lack of seriousness that we are talking about,” he said.
When approached for comment, Minister of Homeland Security Nicholas Dausi declined to say anything on the matter and referred this reporter to Minister of Information and Communication Technology Henry Mussa, who is also government spokesperson, but was not available as he is reportedly in Barcelona, Spain, attending to government business.
But Kondowe said all arrangements for the vigil are done and that four tents will be erected outside Kamuzu Palace gate where delegates, especially those who were once victimised or targeted will be sleeping.
Human Rights Defenders Coalition vice-chairperson Gift Trapence, who attended the briefing on Friday, said he supported
“They need to proceed with the demonstrations because government has taken the group for granted for a long time,” he said. n
