Malawi: As political violence escalates, Malawians ask: Why is our president silent?

The scenes that unfolded in Lilongwe yesterday paint a chilling picture of political violence in Malawi – scenes that have no place in a democracy. Once again, the Malawian public witnessed a disturbing attack on their right to peaceful protest when armed police and a group of masked assailants wielding panga and other weapons brutally attacked unarmed protesters. This disturbing episode, which has occurred for the second time in just two weeks, raises a critical question: Why is President Lazarus Chakwera silent in the face of such political violence?

Violence unleashed

The protest, organized by the Center for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (Cdedi), aimed to express public outrage over the government’s handling of the energy crisis and the apparent ineffectiveness of leaders such as Energy Minister Ibrahim Matola and the Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority ( Mera) General Director Henryk Kachaje. Holding placards with messages such as “The government has no idea” and calling for the resignation of key government officials, protesters gathered at the Lilongwe Community Center Ground, ready to march through the streets of the capital to express their concerns.

What followed was an aggressive show of force from both law enforcement and an unknown group of civilians. The protesters were not only fired with tear gas by the police, but also attacked by a group of 80 masked men carrying weapons – sticks, knives and pangas. A group of gunmen attacked protesters, with police officers seemingly unable to intervene or, in some cases, actively protect the armed men.

Sylvester Namiwa, executive director of Cdedi, condemned both the police and the armed attackers, accusing them of siding with criminals instead of upholding the constitutional rights of peaceful protesters. In a scathing statement, Namiwa said: “As citizens, we are all guilty. “We appear to have accepted the state’s decision to take this dangerous path in which police protect criminals at the expense of voters and the constitutional rights of taxpayers.”

Despite a brutal police crackdown and the chaos that followed, including street battles and roadblocks, protesters refused to back down. They regrouped and continued to express their dissatisfaction even as police and armed civilians tried to disperse them. Vehicles entering the Old Town were diverted, which caused difficulties and traffic chaos. Tires were burned and Malawians showed the world that they did not want to be intimidated.

The role of the President: why the silence?

Amid these brutal confrontations, the big question is: where is President Chakwera in all this? Since taking office, Chakwera has repeatedly promised to uphold the rights of Malawians and ensure that the country’s democracy does not fall victim to oppression. However, these recent events suggest a failure of leadership – failure to act against political violence and to ensure the protection of citizens’ democratic rights.

Chakwera’s silence on this matter is deafening. Not only did he not directly address the police’s role in enabling violence against protesters, but he also failed to comment on the situation of masked attackers – armed with panga and knives – who roamed the streets freely without consequences. Why are these people allowed to attack innocent Malawians without risk of arrest or prosecution? And why has Chakwera not issued any public statements condemning these actions and calling for accountability?

A dangerous precedent

This silence sets a dangerous precedent. By failing to condemn police brutality and political violence, Chakwera risks undermining public trust in his government. Malawians are increasingly disillusioned with a leadership that appears more interested in maintaining political control than in upholding the constitutional rights of its citizens. The president’s lack of response to the increasing incidents of violence signals either indifference or tacit approval – which is unacceptable in a democracy.

The silence also speaks to a larger problem within Tonse’s government – its failure to confront internal problems of corruption, cronyism and abuse of power. How can the public trust an administration that does not take swift action against political violence when the forces meant to protect citizens are complicit in their suffering?

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