By Joseph Mwale
Security and political experts have expressed fear that Malawi risks degenerating into anarchy after an unknown group yesterday issued a poster about a manhunt of suspected panga-wielding thugs that disrupted demonstrations in recent months.
The poster went viral over the weekend with the anonymous organisers telling the police not to be involved during the door-to-door protest set for Mzuzu this Friday.
Reads the message on the flyer: “Tikachoka pa Katoto tikayenda straight kupita m’makomo mwawo akatikhape tonse, akatimalize. Popita kumademowa aliyense mwala kumanja. Mademo awa sitikasiya kalata kwa DC.
“Koma tikaponda pakhomo pa aliyense amene akukhuzidwa ndi zikwanje. Apolisi izi Musalowelere, munalephera kale kutithandiza. Dziko ili ndi la a Malawi asiyeni akaweruze okha Friday. [From Katoto ground, we will proceed to houses of those who wield pangas. Let them kill us all. We will not deliver any petition and police should not interfere because they have failed to help us].”
In recent months, panga-wielding thugs have habitually disrupted peaceful demonstrations, especially in Lilongwe and Mzuzu, by threatening protesters and sometimes attacking them in full view of police officers.
Mzuzu has had incidences where some people have gone for unsanctioned or illegal protests leading to clashes with police and recently led to 28 school going children suffocating as a result of teargas.
Given this background, security expert Sheriff Kayisi said in an interview yesterday that President Lazarus Chakwera holds the key to ensuring that the situation does not degenerate into anarchy.
He said: “Malawi will run into anarchy; it will be survival of the fittest. If people embark on door-to-door protests, we will see a repeat of what happened in the past where people die and lose property.
“Insecurity will spill over because if Mzuzu does it, others in Lilongwe and Blantyre will emulate. So, in that collectiveness, the country will run short of security, and that will be hazardous to the country’s peace and security.”
Kayisi urged the President to command the police to arrest perpetrators of the heinous acts, saying when people see such arrests they will stop hatching ideas on door-to-door protests.
“This is not an issue for a secretary general of a party or Army Commander, but with the President. He should stand and act, not waiting for a report. He should give orders to police,” he said.
In a separate interview, Political Science Association spokesperson Mabvuto Bamusi said the situation presents the onset of a state of anarchy which is catalysed by people’s loss of trust in the State security agencies, especially the police.
He said: “The door-to-door campaign is a statement by citizens that they are now fed up with inaction by police and that citizens will protect themselves.
“Police should desist from arresting the door-to-door campaigners before they have arrested the panga-wielding thugs. Doing so would be recipe for more anarchy and multiple-violence.”
On his part, Mzuzu University (Mzuni) based historian and development politics expert Chrispin Mphande said: “The flyer displaying the Mzuzu planned demonstrations is just very unfortunate and unnecessary. They will yield nothing apart from property destruction and injuring the economy of those that rely on hand to mouth.”
National Police spokesperson Peter Kalaya said the police will be on the lookout for any demonstrations that have not followed the law, and act accordingly against those involved.
During the run up to the court-sanctioned 2020 fresh presidential polls, some protesters in Mzuzu also torched a house and property of former Cabinet minister Grace Chiumia, a police unit at Zolozolo and numerous properties linked to the then governing Democratic Progressive Party.