As political violence escalate, 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 should have no place in a democracy. Once again, the Malawian public witnessed a disturbing assault on their right to peacefully protest, as armed police and a group of masked assailants, wielding pangas and other weapons, viciously targeted unarmed protesters. This disturbing episode, which took place for the second time in just two weeks, begs a critical question: Why is President Lazarus Chakwera silent in the face of such political violence?

The Violence Unleashed
The protest, organized by the Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (Cdedi), aimed to voice public outrage over the government’s handling of the energy crisis and the apparent ineffectiveness of leaders such as Minister of Energy Ibrahim Matola and Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (Mera) CEO Henry Kachaje. The protesters, holding placards with messages like “Government is clueless” and calling for the resignation of key government officials, had gathered at the Lilongwe Community Centre Ground, ready to march through the streets of the capital to raise their concerns.

What followed was an aggressive display of power by both law enforcement and an unknown group of civilians. The protesters were not only met with tear gas from the police but also attacked by a group of 80 masked men carrying weapons—sticks, knives, and pangas. The group of thugs charged at the protesters, with police officers seemingly powerless to intervene or, in some cases, actively protecting the armed men.

Sylvester Namiwa, Cdedi’s executive director, condemned both the police and the armed assailants, accusing the police of siding with criminals rather than upholding the constitutional rights of peaceful demonstrators. In a scathing statement, Namiwa said, “We are all guilty as citizens. We seem to have accepted the State’s decision to take this dangerous path where the police are protecting criminals at the expense of voters and taxpayers’ constitutional rights.”

Despite the police’s violent crackdown and the chaos that ensued, including street battles and roadblocks, protesters refused to back down. They regrouped and continued to voice their discontent, even as police officers and armed civilians tried to scatter them. Vehicles heading into the Old Town were diverted, causing disruptions and traffic chaos. Tires were burned, and Malawians showed the world they were not willing to be intimidated.

The Role of the President: Why the Silence?
Amid these violent confrontations, the question that looms large is: Where is President Chakwera in all of this? Since taking office, Chakwera has repeatedly promised to uphold the rights of Malawians and to ensure that the country’s democracy would not fall victim to oppression. However, these recent events suggest a failure of leadership—failure to act against political violence and to ensure that the democratic rights of citizens are protected.

Chakwera’s silence on the matter is deafening. Not only has he failed to directly address the role of the police in enabling violence against protesters, but there has been no comment on the masked assailants—armed with pangas and knives—who roamed freely in the streets without consequence. Why are these individuals being allowed to attack innocent Malawians without facing arrest or prosecution? And why has Chakwera not made any public statements to condemn these actions and call for accountability?

The Dangerous Precedent
This silence creates a dangerous precedent. By not condemning police brutality and political violence, Chakwera risks eroding public trust in his government. Malawians are growing increasingly disillusioned with a leadership that seems more interested in maintaining political control than in upholding the constitutional rights of its citizens. The president’s failure to respond to these growing incidents of violence signals either indifference or tacit approval—neither of which is acceptable in a democracy.

The silence also speaks to a larger issue within the Tonse government—a failure to confront internal issues of corruption, cronyism, and abuse of power. How can the public trust an administration that fails to take swift action against political violence, when the very forces meant to protect citizens are complicit in their suffering?

The Call for Accountability
Malawians have the right to demonstrate and voice their concerns without the threat of violence or intimidation. As the protests continue, it is critical that President Chakwera steps up and makes it clear that such violence will not be tolerated. The law must apply equally to all, and no one—whether they are in uniform or masked—should be allowed to abuse their power with impunity.

Cdedi has vowed to continue advocating for the rights of Malawians to protest peacefully, but their calls must not fall on deaf ears. The question remains: Will Chakwera act, or will he remain silent as political violence escalates in his own country? The time for political games and inaction is over. Malawians deserve better, and it’s time their president showed them the leadership they were promised.

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