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Bishop condemns violence, Cashgate

 

Bishop of Karonga Diocese Martin Mtumbuka has bemoaned continued acts of violence perpetrated by youths and theft of public resources, saying these acts are holding the country to ransom and must be stopped.

Mtumbuka, in an interview on Monday, said violent acts, normally emanating from beliefs that the elderly practice witchcraft, land wrangles, and excessive beer drinking, have brought a state of lawlessness and a sense of fear in the country.

Mtumbuka: Let us be tough on discipline

While he attributed such violent acts to illiteracy and failure by chiefs and authorities to firmly enforce the laws, the soft-spoken Mtumbuka argued that theft of public resources is coming from people who, much as they are educated, lack wisdom.

His comments come just a month after violent acts erupted over land wrangles in Traditional Authority (T/A) Kyungu in Karonga between people of Mwankenja and Mwenitete villages and other chiefs-related deaths due to suspicions of witchcraft.

They also come at a time when the country is reeling from theft of public resources, dubbed Cashgate, an act that saw donors withdrawing their direct budgetary support to Malawi.

Said Mtumbuka: “We have many youths that did not go to school in Malawi and are doing very useless things, especially in Karonga where constantly you hear of violence. Can you imagine that these youths stoned police officers, burnt houses and rendered others destitute? These things are starting from villages and chiefs are just watching them. You don’t have to play with fire.

“Let us be tough on indiscipline. What we are seeing is a sign of statelessness, lack of respect for the elderly, chaos, and we cannot continue condoning this. Let us enforce the laws and bring order in the country, especially here in Karonga. Actually, I am not satisfied with how we are dealing with this problem.” n

 

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