Malawians are increasingly living in fear as armed robbers unleash a wave of attacks across the country. The reign of terror is fuelling calls for the return of former president Bingu wa Mutharika’s controversial shoot-to-kill policy.
Several victims across the country have been sharing traumatic accounts of break-ins and thefts on social media. Many say criminals appear to be operating with growing confidence and little fear of being caught. The crime wave has left hundreds of families counting losses and living in fear.
One victim whose home was broken into said thieves got away with valuable property and left him with little confidence that his belongings would ever be recovered.
“Thieves broke into my house and got away with a lot of my stuff. I am at the police station at the CID department and, from how they are handling everything, I have zero hope that my belongings will be recovered. The level of professionalism here is highly questionable”, she tweeted.
In some neighbourhoods, criminals are no longer running away after a robbery. They are coming back like a scene from the Terminator franchise. Residents say the only people not visiting crime scenes or victims are the Malawi police.
“The security in this neighborhood is funny man😭🤣 the other thief who wasn’t caught came with another team and they have stole a geyser at a house they stole kids bikes 2 nights ago but this time around the security saw them but couldn’t do anything cuz they were 5😩”, tweeted another victim.
Another victim told Malawi24 that criminals broke into his home and stole an iPhone 17 Pro Max, an OLED TV, a car battery and other household valuables before disappearing without a trace.
As fear spreads, calls are growing for tougher action against criminals, including renewed debate over Bingu wa Mutharika’s shoot-to-kill approach to violent crime. The growing crime spree has left many citizens questioning whether authorities are doing enough to stop the criminals.
The worsening insecurity has also fuelled speculation that some incidents could be part of wider efforts to create fear and instability, although no evidence has been produced to support such claims.
Those advancing the theory often point to a leaked audio recording in which former Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) chairperson Timothy Mtambo allegedly spoke of making the administration of former president Peter Mutharika “ungovernable” ahead of the court-ordered 2020 presidential election rerun.
No evidence has emerged linking the current wave of robberies to any political group or organised campaign. There was no immediate comment from the spokesperson of the Malawi Police.
