National Initiative for Civic Education (Nice) Trust has urged electoral stakeholders, including political parties to unite against violence ahead of the September 16 General Election.
Nice Lilongwe district civic education programmes officer Hajira Ali said this on Tuesday during a stakeholders meeting at Lilongwe Police Station.
“Elections come and go, but our nation remains. What we need is unity. Police alone cannot guarantee peace. Maintaining peace requires our cooperation. That’s why we are here to discuss solutions to political violence,” she said.
The meeting, which was also attended by market leaders, Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) and community security structures across Lilongwe tackled how to ensure political parties and candidates behave during the campaign scheduled from July 14 2025 to September 14 2025.
In his remarks, ‘Lizulu’ Market chairperson Ronald Nzima said politically motivated violence has been disrupting business in Lilongwe since 2022.
“Demonstrators are attacked publicly and no one is arrested. Police just watch,” he said.
Nzima dismissed suggestions that vendors are the ones behind panga-wielding attacks during protests.
“No vendor carries pangas to the street. When our businesses are threatened, we hire private security to man our shops,” he said.
UTM Party district chairperson Frackson Kanjere proposed legal reforms on how heads of security agencies are appointed, saying the current system weakens professionalism and public trust.
In response, police Superintendent Juliet Mphaka assured participants that the law enforcers are prepared to protect all Malawians during the campaign.
“However, police can’t do it alone. We need help from political parties, vendors and citizens,” she said.
On her part, MEC district elections officer Alice Kanyangara warned political parties against the use of inflammatory language during campaign.
Nice Trust organised the meeting under Boma Lathu project with funding from the European Union.
