Chaos, division rock Kamuzu Day celebrations as government defends teargassing of former president Chakwera
What was supposed to be a solemn national commemoration of Malawi’s founding president Hastings Kamuzu Banda descended into chaos and deep political division on Thursday after police fired tear gas to disperse supporters of the Malawi Congress Party who were accompanying former president Lazarus Chakwera to Kamuzu Mausoleum in Lilongwe.
The ugly scenes unfolded near Lilongwe City Council Civic Offices and the Bingu International Convention Centre (BICC) junction where heavily armed police officers mounted roadblocks to stop MCP supporters and party officials from proceeding to the mausoleum for wreath-laying ceremonies.
As hundreds of supporters attempted to push through towards the mausoleum from the nearby MCP headquarters, police fired tear gas canisters into the crowd, forcing people to flee in panic and abruptly disrupting the procession involving Chakwera and senior party leaders.
The incident exposed growing political tensions surrounding Kamuzu Day commemorations after the MCP boycotted the official State function, arguing that Chakwera had been excluded from the national ceremony over what authorities described as “protocol complications”.
Moments before the confrontation, Chakwera had concluded a separate MCP-led memorial event attended by senior party officials including secretary general Richard Chimwendo Banda, legal affairs director George Kadzipatike, campaign director Moses Kunkuyu and director of women Jean Sendeza.
Speaking after the incident, Chimwendo Banda condemned the police action, describing it as an assault on democratic values and national unity.
“It is unfortunate for Malawi’s democracy, especially on a day when the nation was supposed to honour a peace-loving founding president,” he said.
He maintained that the party had followed the required procedures, including securing permission from the Department of Museums for Chakwera to lay a wreath at the mausoleum.
But government spokesperson Shadric Namalomba strongly defended the police operation, insisting the MCP procession was illegal and deserved no sympathy.
“When you deliberately choose not to follow the law, then what you get is exactly what you deserve. The actions of the police are fully merited,” Namalomba said.
He accused MCP of organising what he described as an unlawful assembly and march without obtaining clearance from either the police or Lilongwe City Council.
“No clearance means no legality. No legality means no sympathy. Let this be a lesson: the era of impunity is over,” he added.
The hardline government response immediately intensified political debate over the role of the Malawi Police Service and the shrinking space for opposition political activity in the country.
Police Inspector General Richard Luhanga referred inquiries to national police spokesperson Lael Chimtembo, whose phone went unanswered by press time.
Meanwhile, the official government commemoration proceeded earlier in the day under the theme “Kamuzu, the benchmark of servant leadership, uniting Malawians and prospering together”.
The State ceremony was led by Alfred Gangata on behalf of President Peter Mutharika and attended by senior government officials, members of the Kamuzu family, traditional leaders, diplomats and security chiefs.
Political analysts and governance experts warned that the parallel commemorations and violent confrontation reflected worsening political polarisation around national events that traditionally symbolise unity.
Ben Chakhame warned that the growing tendency by political actors to hold rival memorial ceremonies risks undermining national cohesion and deepening divisions.
The events marked one of the most politically charged Kamuzu Day commemorations in recent years, with tear gas, roadblocks and political accusations overshadowing what was meant to be a day of national reflection and remembrance.
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