Addressing journalists in Lilongwe on Wednesday, Minister of Information and Communication Technology, Nicolas Dausi said the government is concerned with the alleged killing of people who are believed to be blood suckers.

“As government we condemn the barbaric behavior which is happening in Mulanje and Nsanje of killing innocent people believed to be blood suckers, we want to tell the nation that these claims are not true,” Dausi said.

The Minister said since the rumour started making rounds, government has directed the police and members of private security organizations to make sure that there is a twenty four hour surveillance to find out who is behind this immoral behavior.

“We are working on the ground with the police to find out who is behind this, and mark my words, we will catch them,” said Dausi adding that government would not let innocent souls lost because of some beliefs which are not true at all.

He added that as a nation people needed to come together in sensitizing people in those areas that there are no blood suckers.

“I am calling upon chiefs, faith based organizations, members of parliament, councilors, teachers and the business community to come together to sensitizing people that there is no such a thing as blood suckers. You can imagine that one person, a lady, was killed because he had a lipstick which was suspected to be an instrument used to suck blood, that’s unfortunate,” Dausi said.

In his remarks, Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism, Henry Mussa said it is a sad development for the nation as rumours on the attacks have started scaring away tourists who want to visit the country.

“I want to concur with my fellow cabinet minister in condemning the recent acts of mob justice on fellow Malawians and the touring Belgian couple who have obviously been mistaken for blood suckers in Mulanje, Phalombe districts and surrounding areas,” Mussa said.

He further said stories of blood sucking in the country are mere rumors which have been making rounds from sometime back and should not be believed.

“The prevailing vampire paranoia situation in Mulanje and surrounding areas has the potential to derail our efforts in promoting our country as a tourism destination but also as preferred destination for foreign and direct investment,” Mussa explained.

Mussa added that no tourist or investor would like to come to a country whose citizens are attacking others due to misguided beliefs; “therefore warn all those involved to stop this malpractice immediately since this practice is tarnishing the image of our beautiful country.”

The minister has since assured the tourism and travel industry in Mulanje and the country in general that government would step up a number of interventions to eradicate the unfounded fears of blood suckers in the district by increasing the police presence in the area and awareness on blood sucking myth to make sure that everyone is safe in the country.