Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development director of peace and national unity Emmanuel Bambe has appealed to chiefs in Nkhata Bay District to help protect the elderly and other vulnerable people from social ills.

He said on Tuesday during a meeting with local leaders and other stakeholders at Sanga in Traditional Authority Mankhambira in the district that they have the mandate to ensure that peace and unity prevail in the country.

“We appeal to chiefs to lead in ensuring that that there is peace and harmony in their areas by protecting the elderly and other vulnerable groups,” said Bambe.

He said with the scaling up of decentralisation of resources under the Reformed K5 billion Constituency Development Fund, it was imperative that communities remain cohesive to ensure that they utilise the resources for their benefit.

Nkhata Bay District Council director of administration Raymond Nkhonya said it was worrisome that some parts of the district still experience violence against the elderly due to witchcraft allegations.

Bambe: We need peace and harmony.
| Zondani Mbale

“We will intensify sensitisation meetings in different parts of the district to ensure that communities refrain from violence against the elderly,” he said.

On his part, acting Senior Chief Mankhambira appealed to fellow chiefs to ensure that they help dispel misconceptions that fuel violence against the elderly and other vulnerable groups.

“We will help ensure that communities understand the need to refrain from attacking the elderly because this can derail development,” he said.

Police report indicates that from January to July this year, the district reported three cases of violence against the elderly emanating from witchcraft accusations.

On Sunday, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Ben Phiri also cautioned people in Mzimba against attacking the elderly, following the deaths of three people after being forced to drink a poisonous concoction to exorcise their alleged witchcraft.