The Public Affairs Committee (PAC) has come out strongly against the Malawi Congress Party (MCP), accusing it of orchestrating the violent attacks on peaceful protestors in Lilongwe on Thursday.
The statement, jointly signed by PAC Chairperson Bishop Patrick Thawale and Publicity Secretary Bishop Gilford Emmanuel Matonga, did not mince words. It condemned not only the perpetrators of the violence, but also the Malawi Police Service (MPS) and Malawi Defence Force (MDF) for failing to act as machete-wielding thugs descended on protestors at the Lilongwe Community Ground.
PAC questioned the neutrality of the state’s security apparatus, openly suggesting that the violence may have been politically sponsored by the ruling party.
“The present conduct of the police provides fertile ground which leads to the conclusion that the ruling party may be behind this conduct, noting that if the ‘panga team’ was from the opposition, arrests would have been swiftly effected,” the statement read.
This is not the first time peaceful demonstrations have ended in violence. However, PAC said what made this incident particularly troubling is the contradiction between today’s events and recent assurances made by the MPS during the 6th All-Inclusive Stakeholders Conference held in Blantyre in May 2025.
At that forum, the Inspector General of Police Merlyn Yolamu had pledged that peaceful demonstrations would be protected and political violence curbed.
While some voices within government have attempted to blame the opposition for organising the demonstrations, PAC dismissed that line of reasoning outright.
“Even if the demonstrations were indeed initiated by opposition forces, that does not justify the violent response,” said PAC. “Those in power carry a greater moral and constitutional duty to uphold the rule of law and ensure all citizens are protected equally.”
The organisation emphasised that political leadership should never mean the freedom to suppress dissent, and warned that continuing along this path risks dragging the country into deeper instability.
PAC is now demanding swift justice: “We demand that the Malawi Police Service immediately arrest all those involved in today’s violence, regardless of their political affiliations,” the statement declared.
It also warned political parties against using young people as tools for violence, arguing that these violent acts are primitive by their nature and that no political party has ever won elections by riding on political violence.
The statement concluded with an appeal to Malawians and state institutions to uphold peace, justice, and constitutionalism as the 2025 elections approach.
