Fresh calls for action against perpetrators of political violence topped the agenda during separate meetings President Lazarus Chakwera had with youth and women’s rights campaigners yesterday.
Youth Decide Campaign (YDC), during its audience with the President at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe, called on him to hold to account panga-wielding thugs who attacked unarmed protesters in Lilongwe on June 26 2025 in full view of State security agents.
On the other hand, NGO-Gender Coordination Network coordinator Gavalet Mzembe asked the President to take a clear public stance against political violence and intimidation in the run up to the September 16 General Election.
In response to the women’s calls, Chakwera cited ‘misguided politicians’ as the purported instigators of violence in the country. He claimed that such politicians commit the acts to gain influence.
Speaking during a National Youth Manifesto endorsement by the President, Youth and Society (YAS) executive director Charles Kajoloweka, representing YDC, said youths were still waiting for the President to act.
“We followed your statement as you were in Nigeria and we hope, Your Excellency, that indeed the individuals will be held to account and that the enablers of that organised and targeted political violence will be brought to book,” he said.
Writing on his official Facebook page after the assault of activist Sylvester Namiwa, the President, who was on an official visit to Nigeria at the time, directed “relevant State agencies to act swiftly and decisively to restore calm as well as to investigate what happened and ensure that all those who violated the law are held accountable”.
Two weeks ago, presidential press secretary Anthony Kasunda said Chakwera summoned and met Homeland Security Minister Ezekiel Ching’oma and Minister of Defence Monica Chang’anamuno. He said the two reported the measures put in place by relevant bodies to investigate the matter as prescribed by law.
Earlier yesterday, the President touched on political violence during his meeting with Women’s Manifesto Movement, who also presented their manifesto to him for endorsement.
He said: “Let us just make sure that our political campaigning is based on real arguments and not to show who has much power and stuff like that.”
On July 14, after Malawi Electoral Commission launched the official campaign for elections, Chakwera called for peaceful campaign in a televised address.
Speaking at the meeting, Mzembe said a public stance from the President on violence would ensure all women, including independent candidates, contest freely and without fear.
Among other demands, the grouping called on Chakwera, who is also Malawi Congress Party (MCP) presidential candidate, to create special parliamentary seats for women if he wins the September 16 elections.
Some countries that have implemented reserved seats or quotas to increase female parliamentary representation include Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda.
Mzembe also asked the President to make the Ministry of Gender a standalone entity and increase its funding so as to strengthen its work, especially in preventing gender-based violence.
On her part, Oxfam in Malawi gender justice policy programme manager Sarah Kambilinya said Oxfam has integrated the manifesto into its governance programming.
She said this ranges from mobilising grassroots voices through the Rural Women’s Assembly to supporting national-level advocacy via the Parliamentary Women’s Caucus.
