By Burnett Munthali
Malawi police have detained eleven youths following a protest over delays in the government’s process to send Malawians to work on farms in Israel. The arrests occurred at Capital Hill’s main entrance in Lilongwe after the group diverted from their authorized protest route, insisting on meeting with the Secretary to the President and Cabinet (SPC) to address their concerns.
According to Deputy Police Spokesperson Harry Namwaza, the protesters’ actions disrupted public order, leading to police intervention. The arrested individuals are likely to face charges for conduct liable to cause a breach of peace, in line with Section 181 of Malawi’s Penal Code.
[penci_ads id=”penci_ads_1″]The demonstrators were voicing their frustration over what they described as prolonged delays in sending selected youths to work in Israel, a program that was formalized through a memorandum of understanding between the Malawian and Israeli governments. They called on authorities to expedite the recruitment process and step back from direct management of the contracts.
The program was initially seen as a significant opportunity for Malawian youths to gain international work experience and earn better wages. However, administrative setbacks have left many potential workers uncertain about their future prospects, intensifying public scrutiny of the government’s handling of the process.
This incident underscores growing tension between Malawian youth seeking better employment opportunities abroad and the government’s management of overseas job programs.
