Don’t attack the elderly, says Bishop Mtumbuka
Bishop Martin Mtumbuka of Karonga Diocese of the Catholic Church has warned beneficiaries of any project in his jurisdiction to desist from harassing and killing the elderly over witchcraft allegations.
He said this on Saturday at Chipwera Primary School in Chitipa District during the launch of the Integrated Support for Orphans, Vulnerable Children and Youth II Project that the church and Lusubilo Community Care will run with funding from Coppel Family and technical assistance from the Catholic Relief Services.
Mtumbuka said the project seeks to empower beneficiaries to get food, pay school fees for their children and buy other basic necessities.
“We cannot go to a particular family to assist them because they are vulnerable; they have no food, no shelter, no water and we give them these things. Yet, after eating and drinking that water [under the project] they go and burn somebody’s house that has been built by the project,” he said.
The bishop said beneficiaries will have to sign a memorandum of understanding to ensure they do not attack the elderly.
Senior Chief Mwenemisuku assured the diocese that he will sensitise his subjects on the evils of attacking the elderly.
He commended the diocese for implementing various projects in his area, saying they have transformed people’s lives.
“Lusubilo Community Care has drilled six boreholes in the project’s first phase and we look forward to benefitting more from the project,” said Mwenemisuku.
Lusibilo Community Care programmes manager Kondwani Kapombe Nyasulu said the second phase will improve people’s livelihoods.
Chitipa District Council vice-chairperson Webster Sinkhonde cited the transformation of Chisankhwa and Nthalire as sub-urban areas because of the church’s transformative projects.
