political violence sign of intolerance

In 2016, thugs that reportedly bought all machetes in Mzuzu City’s hardware markets swamped Malawi Congress Party (MCP) president Lazarus Chakwera’s rally at Chibavi Ground in Mzuzu, forcing him to sprint for his life.

As the leader of opposition in Parliament ducked flying pangas under the cover of his security detail, one may have thought here was a leader baptised by fire and fury to break the jinx of political violence haunting Malawi.

However, the former pastor, now President of the Republic of Malawi, is racing against the clock to stop surging political violence as the country heads to the next tripartite election in September 2025.

Worrisomely, the outbreak denting the country’s 30-year-old democracy is linked with rogue youth leaguers of the governing party and the police can only promise that they are investigating the matter.

The police reaction evokes memories of State indifference to Chakwera’s case, which only went to court in 2020 when he defeated sitting president Peter Mutharika in a court-ordered fresh presidential election.

The latest mayhem played out on the margins of a rally convened by MCP chief strategist Ken Zikhale Ng’oma, the Minister of Homeland Security in Bangwe Township, Blantyre. Strangely, the outspoken politician responsible for law and order tells The Nation that he did not know that violence erupted at his gathering.

“What I know is that we held a political rally which was peaceful,” he says.

The man, who controls the police system, claims to have heard it from a reporter.

However, a call is rising for party leaders and their followers to stop violence as the election mood is building up ahead of the next polls.

Commentators fear that the skirmishes, which mirror political intolerance, might spill over to the campaign period.

Political scientist Boniface Dulani, from the University of Malawi (Unima), says the continued battles of supremacy symbolise political immaturity.

“This shows that some people still do not understand what democracy is. This is lack of political maturity. Creating a no-go zone based on partisanship shows intolerance and lack of respect for the constitution which provides for freedom of association,” he says.

Dulani says there is no good reason for party loyalists to physically fight instead of debating their differing viewpoints peacefully.

“Both political leaders and their supporters need to grow. We have been in a multiparty democracy for three decades now,” he says in reference to the 30th anniversary of the June 14 1993 referendum this month.

Gift Sambo, another scholar from Unima, says the “unfortunate circumstance” need not happen as the country’s democracy is beyond its infancy.

He faults the current  governance system for allowing the ruling elites to monopolise State resources while the opposition watches in anticipation.

“Our winner-takes-all political system was designed in such a way that political losers use violence to express their frustrations as they feel like they are not part of the system,” he says.

However, Sambo reckons all is not lost as the nation still can entrench tolerance in the political system.

But Blantyre-based businessperson and ward councillor Isaac Jomo Osman, once a fearsome DPP Cadet, warned the youth against “falling into the trap of being used by selfish political giants”.

“When the long arm of the law finds you, they desert you,” he warns. “These politicians are only taking advantage of the vulnerability of the youth in the country to advance their selfish political agenda.”

The Bangwe Mthandizi ward councillor said the youth cannot continue doing “despicable things to please selfish politicians”.

“Politicians use you and damp you. When you are arrested, it’s your family that suffers,” he says.

Osman has been on trial for various crimes committed at the height of DPP rule and its impunity.

“When I was dragged to court, none of the political masters was there for me,” he explains. “So, what we need are initiatives that empower the young generation not to indulge in crimes and other destructive habits.”

The newly enacted Parliamentary and Local Government Elections Act prescribes a K10 million fine and five-year imprisonment for violations of electoral laws, including campaign utterances that incite violence and hate.

Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) spokesperson Sangwani Mwafulirwa warns that following the removal of politicians’ immunity for things they say or do, those who incite violence during campaign gatherings will be prosecuted.

The new law also set a penalty of K5 million for violation of the electoral code of conduct and disqualification from the ballot paper for those anyone who fails to pay the fine or continues to breach the don’ts.

“This calls for candidates and their supporters to dwell on facts and issue during their campaigns,” says Mwafulirwa. “All candidates will have to sign that they and their candidates will abide by these regulations.”

The MEC publicist urges political parties and aspirants to use the countdown to 2025 polls to sensitise their constituents and supporters to this imperative for issue-based campaigns.

He states: “The commission counts on other equally responsible parties such as the police to do their part. Violence is criminal.

“If reported, we expect other agencies to swing into action and not abrogate their duties to the commission. If someone has to be arrested, they have to.”

MEC works with conflict management and alternative dispute resolution structures such as multiparty liaison committees in which 13 political parties are represented by their district governors and youth leaders.

Mwafulirwa said MEC has lined up capacity-building interventions, including early warning and risk management, to stop political conflicts before they occur.

National police spokesperson Peter Kalaya says the security institution legally mandated to fight crime stands ready to deal with all criminal acts associated with political violence.

“We have police officers who have the knowledge, expertise and experience to manage political violence that erupts during a campaign. We are as independent as the law requires in our enforcement of the law and managing of political events,” he says.

However, Kalaya could not say if there were any breakthroughs in busting the brains behind Bangwe scuffle.

He stresses that police officers mostly rely on the cooperation of other role players, including party leaders and MEC officers.

“During our awareness meetings, our messages are sent out denouncing violence. We will also engage our investigators and prosecutors to follow up and prosecute suspected offenders,” said the police publicist.

National Initiative for Civic Education (Nice) spokesperson Grace Hara says the emerging political violence is an indication that there are issues that need to be tackled head-on.

She says: “At Nice Trust , we are working on peace-building and conflict resolution programmes. 

“We are looking for potential development partners and other like-minded institutions for support.

Nice implements mindset change initiatives to entrench democracy.

“In our mindset change activities, there is patriotism which focuses on unity of purpose and identity. We are also continually dialoguing with community leaders on their leadership roles,” said Hara.

DPP spokesperson Shadrick Namalomba accuses the MCP of using violence and party operatives to silence Malawians who hold opposing views.

He says the failure by the State to bring perpetrators of the Bangwe fracas to book contradicts Chakwera’s rhetoric against impunity, with rule of law among the hi-five agenda.

The Bangwe scuffle comes barely a month after some youth group clad in MCP regalia clashed with their UTM Party in full view of President Chakwera during the opening of the annual trade fair in Blantyre.

While Chakwera denounced the ugly scene as a stain on “one Malawi” that he constantly preaches, he has not said anything or taken any agenda-setting action following the new episode.