Bloodsuckers rumour hit Chitipa

There is panic in Chitipa District over bloodsuckers existence allegation which has lead to some men in Traditional Authority (TA) Mwaulambia and Senior Chief Kameme to spend sleepless nights guarding communities against the alleged blood suckers.

Chairperson for Community Policing in Chitipa, Isaac Sumbweye, confirmed the development saying people in the district are tired of blood sucking reports.

He said communities have put in place measures to protect themselves.

“The situation has created panic among communities in the district, and in order to ensure that our people are protected, we have asked them to avoid walking at night,” said Sumbweye.

Speaking during an interface meeting between the district council officials and chiefs for Chitipa on Monday, Officer in Charge for Chitipa Police Station, Assistant Commissioner Aubrey Kawale said so far two men have been burnt to death by communities for alleged to be bloodsuckers.

“One of the casualties had two national identities of Zambia and Malawi and he was killed at Ilomba Village, TA Mwaulambia, while the other one was a Zambian national and was killed at Navitengo Village, in the area of Senior Chief Kameme,” said Kawale.

But speaking during the meeting, director of health and social services, Dr. Ted Bandawe said so far three victims, a man and two women have reported to the district main referral hospital, alleging that their blood was sucked.

However, Bandawe said medical findings proved that all the casualties had no signs of blood sucked from them.

“The three victims admitted at the hospital did not exhibit any clinical features suggesting their blood was sucked. Their hemoglobin levels were in normal ranges. For the female patients our working diagnosis was hysteria. All of them are doing fine,” said Bandawe.

Chitipa District Commissioner (DC) Humphreys Gondwe advised chiefs in the district to sensitize their subjects against mob justice on suspects.

Senior Chief Kameme emphasized on need for civic education for his subjects to know the truth about the matter.