By Cathy Maulidi:
Africa-Press – Malawi. From early 2023, Lilongwe has descended into an underworld where hoodlums brutally beat up and hack protestors. Police know some of them, but they have so far arrested none for their terrorism. We gained the confidence of the some of the thugs who have told us why the police don’t touch them
Some of the thugs that have been hacking and beating up protestors in Lilongwe over the past two years are known to the police.
But, like in the previous regimes where such hoodlums have gone scot-free, the police cannot arrest them for their crime because they have orders not to arrest, according to some of the perpetrators of the brutality we have spoken with.
“We are told to hack anyone taking part in the anti-government demos,” said one of them who confessed to have been involved in a number of the attacks.
We have his real name but we will call him Michael as he spoke with us in confidence for his own protection.
The thuggery
Since early 2023, Lilongwe has descended into a city where peaceful public demonstrations are crushed brutally by thugs armed with every crude instrument – pangas, sticks, axes, metal bars and clubs.
Here are some of the cases:
On September 2, 2023, activist Bon Kalindo led a mass protest against high cost of living, shortage of forex and hunger, among others. Thugs wielding pangas and other weapons crushed the demonstration.
On February 24, 2024, hoodlums attacked DPP members at Mbowe as they prepared for a party mobilization parade in the city.
On November 13, 2024, panga welding thugs blocked members of opposition political parties from holding demonstrations over electoral issues.
On November 25, 2024 a protest led by civil rights group Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (Cdedi) over fuel shortage ended prematurely as panga-welding thugs attacked and dispersed the demonstrators.
On March 19, 2025, thugs also hacked teachers who had gathered to protest the 20 percent salary increment the government had offered.
All these attacks happened in the presence of police officers, ostensibly deployed to provide security to the demos.
In all these cases, police allowed the hoodlums to brutalise the protestors and no one has been arrested from these cases – with the police’s usual response being that they are investigating.
‘We can’t get arrested’
But Michael, who has been named in some circles for involvement in a number of the attacks, told us this week that the issue isn’t about investigation.
Rather, it is just the police conveniently looking away.
“I took part in the Kalindo demos attack and the Cdedi ones,” he told us.
“We are told to hack anyone taking part in the anti-government demos,” he said, adding they are paid for engaging in the thuggery.
“Where does the money which you are paid come from?” We asked.
“I wouldn’t know because our gang leader is the one who does the payment but where he gets the money from, we are not told,” he said.
Asked why they don’t get arrested, he said:
“They know us but we can’t be arrested. Even our leader tells us that none of us can be arrested because the police knows us and they know whatever we do.”
The tipping point of the thuggery came with the attacks on teachers in March 2025, with development partners reportedly summoning senior ranks of the government demanding explanation.
It led to a flurry of statements from government agencies condemning the brutality.
Reports also circulated that police had finally moved to arrest some of the attackers of the teachers.
We contacted one of the key figures among the hoodlums, a person who we know has been involved in a number of attacks and who reportedly orchestrated the attack on teachers.
“We heard that you were arrested [after the attacks on teachers],” we inquired.
“No I wasn’t arrested at any point. They maybe mistaking me for someone else,” he said.
In all our encounters with the contacts, each one was guarded on divulging details, including refusing to name who assigns them on these bloodletting operations.
Highly charged topic
Police’s coddling of the thugs was a highly charged topic at this week’s all-inclusive stakeholder conference which Public Affairs Committee conducted in Blantyre.
Civil society leaders and opposition political parties demanded answers from the police why they have failed to make arrests despite the thugs being known to them.
In one contribution, chairperson for the Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) Gift Trapence accused the police of being selective in the way they handle cases of political violence.
FULL BENCH—Yolamu and her staff at Pac conferenceCdedi Executive Director Sylvester Namiwa was direct to the Inspector General Merylene Yolamu.
He narrated: “On 7th December 2024, you reported through an interview that you had arrested the people who were hacking demonstrators with pangas at community ground [in Lilongwe. We have a recording.
“I would like to know which court is handling that case. At community ground, there is Simama Hotel which has CCTV. The panga-welding thugs came and were standing close behind police officers. In such a case you also expect us to give you time to investigate the matter when the people were right there with the officers?
“If you will not tell us the court which is hearing a case involving the panga-welding thugs at community ground and those that deflated tyres for vehicles belonging to MPs at Parliament, you should accept that you have failed and you should resign and you should accept that you are a threat to the peace and stability of this country.”
Responding to Namiwa, Yolamu said:
“I would not want to comment on the personal remarks that you have targeted at the Inspector General because the IG is appointed by the President and confirmed by Parliament and in such a process, the IG undergoes a vigorous interview process, so I wouldn’t want to comment on that.
“But going to the issue about azikwanje and others, I have been commenting on this on numerous forums and the forum you have mentioned is one of those.
“We investigated, some people were arrested and others are currently on bail. And let me just be open, the office of the IG belongs to Malawians and you can come to demand information.”
In an earlier response at a conference where these concerns were also raised, Yolamu said:
“I know people have lost trust in the Police and it’s not just here, this is the case in many countries, why, because of constant interaction it has with the members of the general public, but I have done my best.
“The President has never called me to give me directions on who to arrest and who not to arrest. I’m just being honest here. I’m a prayerful woman and I can’t lie here. We meet yes and I give him updates on things but he has never told me to arrest and not to arrest someone.”
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