As Malawi teeters on the edge of another violent political season, the Public Affairs Committee (PAC) is desperately knocking on two doors—the State House and the retirement mansion of former president Peter Mutharika. One has opened. The other? Still locked in silence.
PAC wants both President Lazarus Chakwera and Mutharika to help rein in the chaos, urging them to call off their respective political attack dogs that continue to unleash terror on citizens, journalists, and peaceful demonstrators. The quasi-religious body believes the escalating violence is not random—it is politically orchestrated, and it is high time the two leaders took public, proactive responsibility.
Chakwera, to his credit, has signaled willingness to engage. He’s asked for a report from police on the violence, has opened the doors to PAC, and, through his press secretary Anthony Kasunda, reaffirmed his readiness to dialogue and work toward peace. But openness means little without firm action—something PAC and many Malawians still want to see from him, especially regarding calls to fire his underperforming Minister of Homeland Security and the Inspector General of Police.
Meanwhile, the silence from Mutharika is deafening. While PAC is preparing follow-up meetings, his spokesperson Shadric Namalomba had not responded by press time. It’s a worrying non-response, especially as the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) continues to be linked to political skirmishes across the country.
Just last week, protesters from Citizens for Credible Elections were brutally attacked by machete-wielding thugs in Lilongwe—right in front of police and army officers who bizarrely stood down until they tossed a few tear gas canisters after the damage was done. This is not peacekeeping; this is passive endorsement. And for a man who once occupied the highest office in the land, Mutharika’s reluctance to denounce violence or meet with PAC suggests one of two things: either indifference or silent complicity.
Political analysts say time is running out. With just over two months to the September 16 general election, the country needs moral clarity, not political cowardice. As PAC prepares a peace declaration for all candidates, governance experts are urging the body to push harder—not just for peace, but for accountability. They are calling for Chakwera and Mutharika to meet together, publicly, and commit to ending the violence that is poisoning the electoral atmosphere.
Security expert Sheriff Kayisi summed it up best: “Malawi is bigger than MCP and DPP. It’s bigger than Chakwera and Mutharika. The peace of this country must not be held hostage to political egos.”
So far, only one leader has shown a willingness to sit down at the table. The other seems more committed to watching the fire spread from behind the curtains.
The question Malawi must now ask is simple: Who wants peace—and who benefits from the chaos?
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