“No thanks, try next door!” Such are remarks that have echoed into one aspiring candidate with albinism who sought to participate in the upcoming September elections under the DPP ticket.
Malawi gears up for another electoral bout this September involving the election of the President, members of parliament and ward councilors. The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) finds itself embroiled in a fresh scandal that harkens back to a shameful chapter in its history — the discrimination of individuals with albinism.
During DPP, people living with albinism were hunted down, ambushed and killed for suspected rituals. An ongoing criminal trial in which a police officer was arrested after been found with body parts of slain individual with albinism made a shocking confession in court: He was hunting down and killing albinos under instructions from Hetherwick Ntaba and Peter Mutharika. The latter was the president of the country while Ntaba was one of the ministers when this was happening.
But shockingly, one thing was yet proven: Politics is thicker than fear. Looking for any justification to this? Consider this: While people living with albinism were being systematically murdered, some among them remained loyal to the political party of which leader was their murderer-in-chief. Even after revelations emerged through court testimony, they saw no reason to drift from such leaders. In fact, one of them is seeking to come even closer to Mutharika by contesting for elections under the DPP.
But Mutharika may not be a complete fool. Perhaps he has sensed something unusual. How can someone with albinism seek to contest under the DPP? Does he want to come close to me so that he carries out some revenge in ways we may not see coming? No. I am not having it. Make sure he does not contest under DPP. Just like that, the job for DPP henchmen was cut out: Do everything necessary not to let the ambitious albino[sic] contest in DPP primaries.
That is how Alex Machila, an aspiring candidate for Salima South Constituency and an allegedly well-respected community servant, found himself facing a campaign of derision and systemic exclusion from within the very party he remains loyal to. He betrayed his irk for DPP, today he gets betrayed by the party he thought was embracing him. This could not be betrayal but karma that he is receiving.
Sources indicate a disturbing pattern of discrimination led by key party figures who have perpetuated the dangerous myth that “persons with albinism don’t live beyond 40 years.” These misconceptions echo the grievous realities of past violence against individuals with albinism and expose a culture of ignorance that still prevails within the DPP’s ranks.
The silent yet poignant betrayal of Machila resonates deeply, as many recall his standing alongside former President Peter Mutharika during the harrowing period of albinism-related violence. Machila’s bravery in the face of significant public backlash was met with loyalty and commendation by some, yet today, he is ironically repaid with ruthless political marginalization. Supporters like Yusuf express dismay, noting, “This is political and personal betrayal. Machila chose dialogue for peace when few others would.”
A local educator, who wished to remain anonymous, articulated the prevailing sentiment: “Machila has invested in the people. His dedication is visible, yet an outsider is favored based solely on political loyalty to party insiders.”
There are troubling reports of party officials establishing parallel structures designed to diminish Machila’s influence in his community, which raises grave concerns about the integrity of the party’s electoral processes. It appears that the underlying message is clear: loyalty and service to the community mean little if you belong to a marginalized group like those with albinism.
The DPP’s vice president for the Central Region, Alfred Gangata, when approached with complaint by Machila, gave him a dismissive referral of his issue to the party’s Director of Elections, Jean Mathanga. You may call it bureaucratic indifference, but it cuts deeper than that: It suggests an intrinsic institutional failure in the DPP which is now nothing beyond a shell of its own name.
The Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) has emerged as a vocal critic of the reported discrimination. Project Officer Tuntufye Simwimba has expressed deep disappointment that such prejudice still permeates political circles in 2025, especially from a party expected to lead by example. “We denounce these discriminatory attacks in the strongest terms. Political parties should be at the forefront of inclusion, not agents of exclusion,” Simwimba stated.
The question for you: If a political party cannot protect its own members who face stigma and discrimination, how can it ever aspire to lead a nation towards true equality for all?
