Benedicto Kondowe Hits Back — “I Will Not Be Silenced by Political Lies”
Civil society leader Benedicto Kondowe has come out swinging against what he calls a calculated smear campaign, vehemently denying allegations that he received MK80 million from the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) to tarnish the image of former President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika and his administration.
The allegations, which exploded across WhatsApp groups under the sensational banner “#Exposed! Truth Finally Out!”, accuse Kondowe — who chairs both the National Advocacy Platform (NAP) and the Civil Society Elections Integrity Forum (CSEIF) — of working with MCP insiders to discredit the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government through fabricated reports to the United Nations.
But Kondowe, long regarded as one of Malawi’s most principled and policy-driven civic voices, has dismissed the claims as “malicious propaganda, designed to assassinate character and weaken the moral standing of civil society.”
“These are dangerous falsehoods. I have never received a single tambala from the MCP or anyone acting on its behalf,” Kondowe said in a strongly worded statement on Wednesday. “The screenshots being shared are doctored — pure fiction, manufactured to manipulate public opinion.”
Kondowe’s fiery response comes amid growing concerns that Malawi’s political climate is being poisoned by digital disinformation warfare, where unverified allegations are deployed to discredit dissenting or independent voices.
He noted that the UN correspondence cited in the viral messages had nothing to do with political funding or anti-government activity, but was part of a legitimate process concerning personal threats he received after the 2025 electoral cycle.
“It is dishonest and reckless to conflate security concerns with partisan politics. The people behind these lies know exactly what they are doing — to destroy reputations and silence civic accountability,” he said.
Kondowe clarified that his communication with the UN only highlighted harassment believed to have originated from political operatives — including opposition sympathizers — angered by CSEIF’s stand on respecting election outcomes and democratic order.
Known for his unwavering commitment to integrity and reform, Kondowe said the attack underscores the growing trend of weaponizing social media to intimidate watchdog institutions.
He warned that Malawi risks descending into a culture of fear and misinformation if civil society voices are continually vilified without evidence.
“I will not be silenced by propaganda or bullied into submission,” Kondowe declared. “My loyalty is to truth, accountability, and the Malawian people — not to any political camp.”
Kondowe further emphasized that civil society remains actively engaged with government through the CSO–Government Dialogue Platform, led by the Minister of Finance, which aims to resolve national issues through constructive engagement, not confrontation.
Analysts say the episode is more than a personal attack — it’s a litmus test for the credibility of Malawi’s public discourse. The ease with which such falsehoods spread, they warn, reflects a deep erosion of trust in both political and civic institutions.
Meanwhile, the MCP has remained silent on the allegations, and government officials have cautiously described the controversy as “a defining moment for civil society to uphold integrity and objectivity.”
Yet, for Kondowe, the issue is far from political — it’s moral.
“If truth still matters in this country, then we must resist the normalization of lies,” he said. “I will continue to stand for accountability — even when it’s inconvenient.”
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