Chikondi cha Switi

When nobody wanted to have anything to do with the stereotyped Gogo Chabwera, it took the empathy and rare love of Chifundo Switi to keep his grandfather to the extent of being perceived as his ‘partner in crime.

But on the day that Chabwera was being hounded by his blood relatives at Kasamba 1 Village in Neno District following the death of a grandson, the sweet-hearted Chifundo was away in Blantyre on business errand and could not do anything to protect him.

Everything that happened was just as a nightmare to him as it were to Chabwera, an elder he had kept and protected for three years.

Asked if Chabwera practises witchcraft, Switi said he has no evidence.

“I made a decision to keep him because nobody was willing to give him space. That he was sick and gave him a home and have been providing everything since that day. Last year, he found a job where he was guarding our market. Still, I kept providing support from place to stay,” he said.

His relations have vowed to deal with him at every available opportunity. In their eyes, Chabwera’s background roots of belonging have finally been uprooted. He is dead, yet living.

Yet if time to be with the Lord would come, he saw himself being buried where his father, mother and wife rested. But Gogo Binwell Chabwera, 89, needs to revisit his wish.

The whole drama, of what has become typical with Neno, started on August 26 after his biological children and relatives attacked him.

Community members and group village head Kasamba rescued him. At that time, an angry mob had beaten him up and dislocated his left hand while his home items were set on fire.

Gogo Chabwera spent three weeks at Zalewa Police Unit where some police officers mobilised money to feed him before a Good Samaritan from Lilongwe gave him a new home. Gogo Chabwera now stays with 75 other elderly people.

A visit to Neno

As we trekked from Blantyre to Kasamba 1 Village in Traditional Authority (T/A) Saimoni, some people warned us that it was not safe to visit the area without security.

They claimed villagers had twice chased police officers when they wanted to arrest a suspect in different cases.

Group Village Kasamba said police are yet to visit the village following the incident, claiming they just sent a letter asking suspects to go to police.

Sensing danger, this journalist posed as a civil society official who was sympathising with them.

A group of 12 men and eight women was eagerly waiting at the village after somebody tipped them off that a somebody was visiting them.

Fasitoni Chabwera, only son to Gogo Chabwera, started by asking for the reason for the visit, saying they were afraid we went to spy on them.

“Kodi cholinga chanu n’chiyani? Mufuna mutipereke kapena mwabwerera zina [What’s the purpose of this visit? Do you want to hand us over to authorities?],” he asked, but was convinced with our explanation.

Fasitoni said they suspected that his dad is a wizard following his sentiments before and during the sickness of Chiyembekezo Baisoni, a grandson to Chabwera.

“He could not visit his grandson even though we stayed in one compound. He came once but it was after we forced him to. And, when he [Baisoni] died, my dad could not cheer him, but he was busy eating nsima. He has also been threatening us that he will kill us all without a clear reason.”

Fasitoni admitted in an interview that they beat up Gogo Chabwera because he did not mourn his grandson, a thing that raised suspicion.

Asked if they would welcome him back at the village, Fasitoni warned that Chabwera would be killed if he attempted to do so.

His sister, Esnarth also alleges that Chabwera had a hand in the death of their mother. “We don’t want him here and we cannot visit him at the police,” she said.

Death of Baisoni

According to Fasitoni and Sera, 24, Baisoni’s wife, he died after a short illness which had started as he was felling trees for charcoal making.

“He had told me that he will leave home early in the morning to cut down trees. But within 30 minutes, he was back complaining that he is in pain.

“He told me that after cutting the first tree, he failed to proceed as he felt a headache,” she said.

Fasitoni said he took him to Changa Health Centre in the district, but the situation did not improve.

“He struggled to eat for three days and he later died,” he said.

Changa Health Centre in-charge Bannet Kalombo said he has no details on what Baisoni was suffering from.

“I cannot recall since it happened last month, but yes we helped him when they came,” he told us.

Gogo Chabwera denies the allegations

Gogo Chabwera says he does not practise witchcraft and wonders why he is being accused of killing his grandson.

“My grandson has kept me for years and he has five children. If I were a wizard, I could have killed them all,” he said.

Chabwera is shocked at the events following the death of his grandson.

“They chased me and being old, I could not go far. They grabbed me and hit me. I should have died and I don’t know how I am still alive,” he said.

Mai Mbambande Foundation gives Chabwera refuge

Owned by Deborah Mbale, Mai Mbambande Foundation has given Gogo Chabwera refuge in Lilongwe where he will be staying with other 75 elderly.

They have also taken him to hospital and his right hand now spots a plaster of paris.

Mbale said Chabwera will be staying with them until the family decides to take him back. “If they don’t want him, then we will stay with him,” she said.

Neno cases

In January 2016, an irate mob from Chimbalanga in T/A Dambe in the district went on rampage, killing four elderly persons and seriously injuring others on suspicion that they killed a 17-year-old girl through witchcraft.

According to the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) statistics, as of 2020, 12 elderly people had been killed in Neno—eight males and four females. These were killed separately in villages such as Chimbalanga four, Kumbwani four, Mofati two, Nseula one and Mtemankhwali one.

Neno district social warfare officer Paul Sosono said withcraft’s beliefs constitute one of the challenge residents face; hence, efforts to sensitise the community on the same.