By Burnett Munthali
Preamble
Everyone has the right to life and the right to life includes elderly people. Therefore, nobody has the right to take anyone’s life for whatever reason, we must all live.
On the other hand, whenever there is a case there must be evidence to that case to prove beyond any reasonable doubt. Secondly, we have well established government institutions that take care of complaints, these are the police, the courts, and the prison. The complainants/people cannot take the place of complainants, Police, court, and prison at the same time. The system of justice does not work like that anywhere in the world.
The Challenge
According to The Daily Times, twenty-five elderly people were killed in 2023 on aviation of practicing witchcraft, the Malawi Network of Older Persons Organizations ( MANEPO) disclosed. The report says fifty-six senior citizens faced harassment on witchcraft allegations. In 2022, twenty-three (23) elderly people were killed fire being suspected of practicing witchcraft.
It is therefore surprising that society keeps targeting senior citizens in witchcraft suspicions. There is something wrong somewhere which must be corrected now or else everyone who becomes old will become a victim of such circumstances in the near future. If witchcraft exists it cannot be specifically focused on one particular age group of people. It could be a mixture of all age groups of people for sure.
Senior citizens are among those vulnerable groups because they are weak to defend themselves. Is Malawi doing justice by targeting people who are too weak to fight back? This makes the elderly people even more vulnerable as communities continue to turn against them.
It is therefore interesting that Hon Ken Zikhale Ng’oma decided to celebrate New Year with the elderly in his constituency. This is a bold and particularly good step taken by the Member of Parliament and cabinet Minister of Homeland Security which everyone must emulate from.
The reality of witchcraft is that it is a practice which has been there from time immemorial. It is there in the Bible. Dealing with witchcraft has always been overly complicated and difficult in our society and sometimes leads to loss of life to innocent victims through mob justice. In conclusion, let us love elderly people as we would love ourselves when we grow old because nobody will forever remain young. The elderly are lucky to reach old age but if they have a case to answer, communities should have valid evidence against them for whatever case it could be to prove in court. Otherwise, we should avoid monopolizing the role of complainant, Police, Court, and Prison Warders. Bravo to Hon Ken Zikhale Ng’oma for demonstrating that love for the elderly peo
