APAM pushes for PWA houses construction

The government is being pushed to demonstrate its full commitment to providing security for persons with albinism ahead of the 2025 elections.

Maynard Zakaliya, the programs manager of the Association of Persons with Albinism in Malawi (APAM) highlights that attacks on the grouping’s members tend to increase as elections approach.

Despite authorities allocating resources for the construction of houses for persons with the skin condition, only 50 houses have been built since 2020.

“We appreciate the allocations made to this project from the start but the challenge is on the implementation. The resources made to construct houses for Persons With Albinism (PWA) are not matching with the houses on the ground.

By now, 200 to 300 houses were supposed to be completed with the resources and time given to this project, but less than 40 houses have been constructed from 2021 which is a worrisome development,” said Zakaliya.

Zakaliya suggests that; “This is the best time for the government to fast track the construction of houses for persons with albinism to show its full commitment to PWA protection,” added Zakaliya.

Zakaliya further explains that those that are targeted are usually based in rural areas and without secure houses.

The ministry of lands had earlier indicated that the situation was due to delays in the government procurement systems.

In the 2021/2022 financial year, the government allocated K400 million towards the same project while in the 2022/23 fiscal year, there was an allocation of K500 million.

The project intends to construct about 965 houses for PWA and each of the 193 constituencies was to get 5 houses within a space of five years starting from 2021.