The political temperature in Zomba has reached boiling point—and at the center of the storm is Zomba Central Member of Parliament Bester Awali, who stands accused of orchestrating violence against fellow Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) officials in a blatant show of political desperation.
According to multiple eyewitnesses and party insiders, Awali—closely linked to embattled PDP president Kondwani Nankhumwa—allegedly recruited machete-wielding thugs to disrupt a political meeting organized by Zomba City Mayor Christopher Jana, who also serves as DPP’s Deputy Director of Youth.
The meeting, held over the weekend, descended into chaos as panga-wielding youths hurled stones and missiles at DPP officials arriving at the venue. What was meant to be a routine intra-party gathering turned into a battlefield, exposing the deepening cracks within the opposition party.
“It was total mayhem,” said one eyewitness. “Officials had to dive for cover as stones rained down. It was an ambush, pure and simple.”
Councilor Maxwell Finiyasi and a group of officials later regrouped and apprehended one of the attackers, who reportedly confessed to having been sent by the MP.
“He admitted Awali was behind the attack,” said a party source. “The MP is clearly panicking. No one is plotting against him—he’s just consumed by his own paranoia and thirst for power.”
The clash is the latest in a long-standing feud between Awali and Mayor Jana, rooted in Awali’s public rejection of former President Peter Mutharika’s leadership, and his open support for Nankhumwa during the DPP’s internal power struggle.
In fact, Awali—alongside Zomba Chisi MP Mark Bottoman—defied the party line during the heated mayoral elections, voting for a UDF candidate at the height of the Mutharika-Nankhumwa rift.
Now, with the dust refusing to settle, the matter has reportedly been referred to DPP Vice President for the Eastern Region, Bright Msaka, SC, for possible disciplinary action.
When contacted, Awali denied any involvement, claiming he had nothing to do with the thugs. But with mounting testimonies and growing unrest in his constituency, his denials are ringing hollow.
The situation in Zomba is now being seen as a litmus test for intra-party democracy in the DPP—and a wake-up call for leadership to rein in rogue elements before the party’s internal implosion becomes irreversible.
As the 2025 elections draw near, the DPP finds itself not only battling external opponents but also tearing itself apart from within. And if Awali’s brand of militant politics is allowed to fester unchecked, Zomba may soon be remembered not as the Old Capital, but as the battleground of a collapsing opposition.
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