Independence with Blood on the Streets

By Asiatu Ngulinga

“The right to protest is not a threat to democracy. The refusal to protect it is.”

The Promise of Freedom, Under Siege

Sixty-one years after gaining independence, Malawi stands at a crossroads. Its Constitution enshrines the right to peaceful assembly—a pillar of democracy. Yet, as the country prepares for the September 2025 elections, that right is increasingly threatened by political violence, intimidation, and the quiet complicity of the state.

Demonstrations, once symbols of civic engagement, have now become battlegrounds where freedom is assaulted in broad daylight.

Lilongwe, 26 June: Protest Meets Panga

The Citizens for Credible Elections (CfCE) organised demonstrations in Lilongwe, Blantyre, and Mangochi on 26 June, calling for electoral transparency and reform. But in Lilongwe, what began as a peaceful march quickly spiraled into terror.

Demonstrators carried banners and chanted for good governance. But suddenly, machete-wielding gangs, locally known as panga gangs, infiltrated the march. They beat protestors savagely, right in front of security forces who did nothing.

Activist Silvester Namiwa was brutally attacked just metres from armed police. He collapsed, bleeding, as officers looked on. Videos and eyewitnesses confirm that no one intervened, despite visible threats and panic.

No arrests have been made. Many Malawians believe these thugs were sent by ruling party loyalists to silence dissent. Though no official link has been proven, the pattern is chilling: when protests threaten those in power, violence erupts—and justice disappears.

Mangochi, 30 June: Peace Unravels

A few days later, on 30 June, CfCE held another demonstration in Mangochi. It began calmly, with a march from Fort Johnston Roundabout to the District Council. A petition was delivered. Citizens gathered in hope.

But after the formalities, chaos followed. Shops were looted, women fled in panic, and schoolchildren were caught in the turmoil. Business owners bore heavy losses.

“These protests are supposed to bring change, but they bring fear instead,” said a local boutique owner.
“We close our shops, we lose money, and we’re not even part of the cause.”

Conveners were nowhere to be seen during the violence, leaving many to question whether protests can be responsibly managed without harming others.

A Nation at a Crossroads

These twin events—Lilongwe’s machetes and Mangochi’s looting—represent more than isolated failures. They reflect a deeper crisis of leadership, civic responsibility, and democratic decay.

Contrast this with the peaceful postponement of a protest by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), agreed in dialogue with civil society to accommodate national exams. That choice shows what’s possible when politics puts people first.

Freedom or Fear: What Will Define Year 61?

Malawi has the legal framework. It has a politically conscious citizenry. But does it have the will to protect its people—not just from criminality, but from sanctioned silence and systemic fear?

When pangas meet protests and the police stand idle, democracy is not just bruised—it’s bleeding.