The National Initiative for Civic Education (NICE) Public Trust has condemned a rise in mob violence in Chikwawa and Nsanje districts that has left six people dead and 45 suspects arrested.
In a statement, NICE Executive Director Gray Kalindekafe said NICE is gravely alarmed by killings and harassment in the Shire Valley linked to witchcraft accusations and alleged ritual body-part removals.
“The tragic reports of six lives lost and the arrest of 45 suspects by the Malawi Police Service highlight the urgent need for collective action to protect human life and restore confidence in lawful justice systems,” reads part of a statement.
Kalindekafe said the violence violates the Constitution of Malawi, including the Right to Life, Human Dignity, and Access to Justice.
He added that under the Penal Code saying that murder is punishable by death or life imprisonment, while the Witchcraft Act criminalizes false accusations with up to 5 years in prison.
NICE also cited Malawi’s obligations under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, noting that mob justice breaches international standards.
The trust appealed to the Malawi Police Service to intensify patrols and prosecutions, and called on traditional leaders to discourage witchcraft-related accusations.
It urged religious leaders to preach tolerance, civil society to strengthen civic education, and courts to ensure swift adjudication of cases.
