Opinion By Suleman Chitera, Chiradzulu, based political commentator
The images and testimonies from the recent demonstrations in Lilongwe are nothing short of disturbing. Peaceful citizens, including organizers like Sylvester Namiwa, were publicly attacked by machete-wielding thugs. Even more alarming was the presence of the Malawi Defence Force (MDF) and Malawi Police Service (MPS), who stood by and watched as the violence unfolded—doing little or nothing to intervene.
This inaction raises serious concerns. First and foremost, it violates the core mandate of both the police and military: to protect lives and maintain order. When law enforcement officers and soldiers are present at a scene where unarmed civilians are being brutalized and yet fail to act, the public is left to question whose interests they are truly serving.
Is this a failure of leadership, negligence, or something more sinister?
One cannot ignore the timing and political context. The victims were protestors, openly criticizing the government. The attackers appeared organized, armed, and seemingly confident they would not be stopped. The silence and passivity of security forces hint at complicity—or, at the very least, an order from higher up to “stand down.”
If this was indeed state-sanctioned inaction, then Malawi has taken a dangerous step backward toward authoritarianism, where institutions meant to serve the people instead become tools of fear and suppression.
The police and army owe Malawians an explanation. And more importantly, the leaders responsible—whether in uniform or in government—must be held accountable. If we allow such impunity to continue, we risk normalizing violence as a political tool and dismantling the very fabric of our democracy.
Inaction in the face of injustice is itself an injustice. The silence of those with guns and uniforms, while blood is shed, is not neutrality—it is betrayal.
