By Suleman Chitera
The Malawi government, under the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), has been warned that a growing pattern of arrests targeting opposition leaders could have devastating consequences for the country’s already fragile economy by driving away key international partners and donors.
The warning comes from Chalo Mvula, former Malawi Congress Party (MCP) Diaspora Chairperson and now the party’s Second Deputy Director of International Affairs, following the arrest of senior MCP figures Richard Chimwendo Banda, Jessie Kabwila and Vitumbiko Mumba.
Mvula has condemned the arrests in the strongest terms, describing them as politically motivated and designed to intimidate and silence the opposition ahead of critical national processes.
“The DPP is playing a very dangerous game with the future of Malawi,” Mvula said. “These are not legitimate law enforcement actions; they are carefully orchestrated political arrests, and they are the quickest way to lose donor confidence.”
He warned that Malawi’s development partners closely monitor issues of governance, rule of law and political freedoms, and that continued harassment of opposition leaders sends a damaging signal to the international community.
“Investors and donors do not support countries where political persecution replaces justice,” Mvula added. “If this continues, the economic consequences will be severe and ordinary Malawians will pay the price.”
The arrests have sparked outrage within opposition circles and among civil society groups, who argue that state institutions are being abused to settle political scores rather than uphold the law.
Mvula called on the government to immediately halt what he termed the “criminalisation of dissent” and to respect democratic principles, warning that failure to do so risks isolating Malawi at a time when the country desperately needs international goodwill and economic support.
The DPP government has yet to issue a comprehensive response to the allegations, as pressure mounts for clarity on the legal basis of the arrests and assurances that the rule of law is not being subordinated to partisan interests.
