In this interview, our Lilongwe Assistant Bureau Chief SUZGO CHITETE, ex-president Joyce Banda, who leads People’s Party (PP), says incumbent Lazarus Chakwera holds the key to ending political violence in the countdown to the September 16 2025. In these excerpts from NationOnline’s The Candidate programme, the People’s Party leader shares insights into encounters with violence in her political journey.
What is the major lesson you have drawn from over three decades in politics and different political parties—the United Democratic Front (UDF), Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and People’s Party (PP)?
The first lesson in politics is how this country understands politics. I think our definition of politics as ndale [tripping one another]sends the wrong message. Based on this we tend to think politics is about fighting or pulling each other down. If the whole nation believes that politics is about pulling each other down, this is why we spend too much time fighting each other. Politics is more than that. Actually, if politics means fighting others, I would take a different route. We need to reorient the nation that politics is about development. From my time in UDF to PP where I am now, I have learnt that it is a game you must play hard. It is not very exciting, unfortunately it is also addictive and this is why most of us are still within.
Is that the most important lesson you have gained from the so-called dirty game?
Well, there are many. Another lesson is that we can use the same vehicle—UDF, DPP, PP to bring change. Unfortunately, we are also a generation that has really given politics a bad name. We are coming from a generation of politicians such as Rose Chibambo who were selfless. We are a generation whose understanding of politics was progressive—that politics is a service to the people and not oneself. I served in [the Malawi Congress Party’s women’s association] Chitukuko cha Amayi M‘Malawi (CCM). We embraced values of handwork, patriotism and unity. We moved from one place to another around Malawi serving the nation without expecting some reward. I bought my first car from my own sweat—tailoring. We did not consider politics as a scheme to get rich quickly. Today, that is what we see; politics as a means for personal enrichment. And we are a crop of politicians who have introduced this kind of politics we never practised at our initiation. We are using resources we have acquired dubiously to perpetrate political violence. This is the politics we have created.
Interestingly, almost all governing parties in Malawi since 1994 have been associated with political violence. How can this be fixed?
Did you witness political violence during my time as President? Did PP cause any violence when I was in power? I am saying it is about leadership. If you put your foot down as a leader, it won’t happen.
In recent cases, we have seen police officers and soldiers doing nothing as thugs attacked activist Sylvester Namiwa. What should the leadership do to fix this?
I believe fully that these security officers operate based on command. I am a daughter to a former police officer. If security officers decide to do something, it means they have been instructed to do so. If they decide to do nothing, it also means someone has sanctioned the silence. The danger with that is that when international institutions come in to seek answers, the leader will be held accountable, not the Commander of the Malawi Defence Force or the Inspector General of Police. The Commander-in-Chief is the boss and cannot claim ignorance. If MDF and Police are doing nothing when citizens are brutalised in their presence, it means these officers have instructions from somewhere. That is how people in uniform operate. I must stress that all this can stop if the leadership wants to. Actually, I know of someone who confessed that they were sent to attack me. So perpetrators do not just do it on their own; there is someone behind them.
Are you saying you are also a victim of political violence?
Yes, someone confessed that they were assigned to attack me in Mzuzu. That day, fortunately, I cancelled the meeting because it was raining in Mzuzu. I have even raised the attention of the leadership of this nation.
When you say leadership, do you mean the State President?
Yes, he is my Commander-in-Chief and he needs to know that my life is in danger. If I die, the Commander-in-Chief shall be held accountable. I am not joking.
Is this something real or just some intelligence you got?
I have evidence. The first part of evidence is from the person who was assigned for this mission. Actually, when we had another rally in Mzuzu, the team followed us and we have evidence. You think I can sit here and just make wild claims? No! I wrote the Head of State so that he knows that my life is in danger. But this is just me, one person out of many who are living in fear. They can attack us but we will not attack them because I do not believe in violence.
But do you think the leadership knows about this or it could just be some people doing it for their own interest?
In fact, the President said he was surprised that I could think he knew about it. But I stressed to him that he is Commander-in-Chief. I really do not think he can harm me because I have worked with him so well, I respect him as a brother. But when my life is in danger, I will hold the Commander-in Chief accountable.
