Malawi Police Service alongside government officials and traditional leaders have intensified a crackdown on perpetrators of claims of disappearing male private parts in Chikwawa and Nsanje, warning of tough action.
In the thick of the rumours, mob justice ensued and claimed the lives of seven people.
Yesterday, the exercise in Chikwawa District combined civic education campaigns with security measures aimed at restoring calm in the two Lower Shire districts.
Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Ben Phiri, Deputy Inspector General of Police Noel Kayira, Chikwawa district commissioner Frank Mkandawire, Paramount Chief Lundu and legislators from Nsanje and Chikwawa were among those leading the campaign.
Activities started with whistle-stop meetings at Bereu, Nchalo and Miseu Folo trading centres before officials proceeded to Ngabu Secondary School for an engagement meeting with a bigger audience.
Speaking during the meetings, Phiri said claims that people can make private parts disappear are false and should not be used to justify attacks on innocent people.
He described the attacks as “thuggery” and warned that the government would not tolerate continued lawlessness.
“We have agreed that this form of foolishness and thuggery ends today, whether in the Lower Shire or any part of this country,” said Phiri, warning that his ministry would dethrone chiefs found fuelling the violence or shielding suspects.
Malawi Police data indicate that arrests linked to the violence have risen to 83, with 60 suspects likely to face murder charges.
On Monday, 28 suspects were remanded to Chichiri Prison in Blantyre pending committal of their cases to the High Court.
Speaking at Ngabu, Kayira expressed concern that some villagers in Nsanje attacked law enforcement officers responding to the violence, injuring several officers.
He urged communities to cooperate with police by identifying suspects involved in the attacks.
In his speech, Mkandawire expressed concern that some witchdoctors were taking advantage of the situation by claiming they could restore missing private parts.
He said the council would continue sensitisation campaigns through community meetings and community radio programmes to prevent further violence.
Taking his turn, Senior Chief Ngabu said the attacks are inconsistent with the values expected of communities in the Lower Shire districts.
“We have all agreed that this will not happen again and anyone making claims about losing genitals will be taken to authorities,” he said.
The acts of violence started last week and by Monday this week, five people had been killed in Chikwawa and two in Nsanje.
According to Malawi Network of Older Persons’ Organisations, nearly 300 elderly people were killed between January 2016 and April 2026 after being accused of practising witchcraft.
In 2017, rumours about alleged blood suckers sparked mob violence that killed at least nine people in Mulanje, Thyolo, Nsanje, Phalombe, Chiradzulu and Blantyre.
