In a joint statement, former presidents Bakili Muluzi, Joyce Banda and Peter Mutharika have condemned the Lilongwe violence and urged Mec and NRB to revisit their decisions “that have led to this crisis” including use of Smartmatic election management devices and voter registration suppression
By Isaac Salima:
In a first-of-its-kind move, Malawi’s former presidents have issued a joint statement condemning Wednesday’s acts of violence that marred demonstrations that opposition political parties organised in Lilongwe.
Members of the opposition had planned to hold protests over discontent with how Malawi Electoral Commission (Mec) and National Registration Bureau (NRB) are conducting the electoral process. But some people armed with pangas blocked the protests and hacked people, while the police watched instead of enforcing the law.
The incident has been widely condemned, now with the former presidents — Bakili Muluzi, Joyce Banda and Peter Mutharika — issuing the latest statement expressing anger with the violence.
The three leaders have described the Wednesday violence as unacceptable and an assault on principles of order and justice in Malawi.
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“We unequivocally condemn the violent and unlawful actions that erupted on 13 November 2024 in Lilongwe,” reads the statement, dated November 15, 2024.
“This brutality against peaceful demonstrators— who were rightfully protesting the chaotic registration process for the 2025 General Elections— represents a grave assault on democracy.
“Such acts are not only unacceptable but also a direct affront to the principles of justice and order that our nation stands for,” they say.
The three former leaders say Malawi’s Constitution, international treaties and agreements under the United Nations, the African Union and the Sadc all provide for regular, free and fair elections that are conducted with integrity by an independent electoral commission.
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“They also provide for respect for the rule of law, popular participation, equality before the law, and human rights, including freedoms
of expression, assembly and association. Specifically, Section 40 of our Constitution provides for political freedoms, and Section 38 guarantees the right to peaceful demonstration,” the statement says.
They say the events of November 13, “witnessed by the Police, represent a critical breach of our Constitutional principles and international standards”, they say.
“Such actions must be condemned in the strongest terms, especially as our nation approaches a critical election period.
“It is imperative that citizens are allowed to assert their constitutional right to participate freely in choosing their leaders. Let their voices be heard,” they say.
Muluzi, Banda and Mutharika have made several demands in their statement.
They want the Inspector General of Police to launch an immediate investigation, arrest and prosecute all perpetrators of that violence.
“There is ample video evidence to initiate swift action,” they said.
They have also called for action from President Lazarus Chakwera and the Malawi Congress Party.
They want them to “categorically condemn this violence, distance themselves from it, and reassure the citizens that such acts will not be tolerated again.”
They have further urged Mec and NRB to act on the concerns that made the opposition to decide to organise protests.
“The Malawi Electoral Commission must urgently revisit the decisions that have led to this crisis, including the use of the controversial Smartmatic and the ongoing voter suppression due to the NRB’s failure to issue [ID] cards to all eligible voters.
“The National Registration Bureau must comply immediately with the court ruling mandating its presence at all registration centers and ensuring that every eligible citizen receives their Nzika [citizenship] card without delay,” they say.
“The time for action is now! Our democracy demands it!” concludes the statement, endorsed by the three leaders.
Their statement follows several others include those from Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC) and Youth and Society (Yas) which have also slammed police for the violence.
“The Commission wants to remind the Malawi Police Service that it has an obligation under section 153 of the Constitution of the Republic of Malawi to protect the public safety and the rights of individuals including the right to peaceful assembly,” reads the MHRC statement dated November 14, 2024 and signed by chairperson, Chikondi Chijozi.
MHRC has since urged the Malawi police to de-escalate situations that might result in violence without discrimination and deal with any form of impunity and take necessary legal action against such actions.
On the other hand, Youth and Society (Yas) has been critical of what it calls a “partisan way” by which the police handled the incident.
“Yas is compelled to raise an urgent concern regarding the violent incident that unfolded yesterday [Wednesday] in Lilongwe where armed individuals wielding pangas allegedly affiliated with the ruling Malawi Congress Party launched a brutal attack on peaceful protestors who had assembled to exercise their constitutionally protected rights to assembly and expression.
“Most disturbingly, officers of the Malawi Police Service were present but took no action to intervene and prevent the violence allowing the assault to continue without any attempt to protect the protestors or to run order,” reads Yas statement.
Malawi Congress Party, through its spokesperson Jessie Kabwila, earlier denied any involvement, challenging those associating the party with the violence to produce evidence.
Spokesperson for the Malawi Police Service, Peter Kalaya, also said the service discharges its duties professionally and will continue to do so for the safety of all Malawians.
Mutharika and Banda lead Democratic Progressive Party and People’s Party respectively.
The two are among the political parties, alongside UTM, Alliance for Democracy (Aford) and United Democratic Front (UDF) that have been expressing reservations with the electoral process ahead of the elections next year.
