By Suleman Chitera Lilongwe, Malawi – June 27, 2025
The Malawi Law Society (MLS) has added its voice to the growing wave of public condemnation against the Malawi Police Service (MPS) and Malawi Defence Force (MDF) following their failure to intervene during a violent attack on peaceful demonstrators in Lilongwe on Thursday.
In a strongly worded statement co-signed by MLS President Davis Mthakati Njobvu and Honorary Secretary Francis Ekari M’mame, the legal body described the incident as a blatant violation of constitutional rights and an alarming sign of institutional failure.
“Violence has repeatedly been unleashed against those who sought to exercise their right to freedom of assembly and other allied rights,” the statement reads. “What is deeply troubling is that this continues to happen in full view of the state machinery, whose mandate is to protect, not to neglect.”
The protest, organized by the Citizens for Credible Elections (CCE), was marred by scenes of chaos when masked individuals armed with pangas (machetes) descended on the demonstrators. Despite the presence of both police and military personnel, no meaningful intervention was made, leading to injuries and property damage.
In a rare and direct call for accountability, the MLS has urged President Lazarus Chakwera to dismiss Minister of Homeland Security Ezekiel Ching’oma. Citing Section 153(4) of the Constitution, the Society emphasized that the minister bears constitutional responsibility for ensuring discipline and lawful conduct within the Malawi Police Service.
“The Minister has demonstrably failed to uphold this responsibility,” said the MLS, pointing to repeated lapses in the handling of public security.
Furthermore, the Society called for the immediate removal of Inspector General of Police Merlyn Yolamu, accusing her of incompetence and suggesting a lack of impartiality in her leadership of the police force.
The MLS joins a growing list of civil society groups, political movements, and religious bodies—including the Public Affairs Committee (PAC) and the United Transformation Movement (UTM)—that have condemned the attacks and demanded swift action from the highest levels of government.
As pressure mounts on President Chakwera to act decisively, the silence from State House continues to raise concerns among citizens and observers who fear a return to a culture of impunity.
For many, the violent crackdown on demonstrators has reignited debates about the strength of Malawi’s democratic institutions and the commitment of those in power to uphold the rule of law.
