From early 2023, Lilongwe has descended into an underworld where hoodlums brutally beat up and hack protestors. Police know some of them, but they have so far arrested none for their terrorism. We gained the confidence of the some of the thugs who have told us why the police don’t touch them

By Cathy Maulidi:

Some of the thugs that have been hacking and beating up protestors in Lilongwe over the past two years are known to the police.

But, like in the previous regimes where such hoodlums have gone scot-free, the police cannot arrest them for their crime because they have orders not to arrest, according to some of the perpetrators of the brutality we have spoken with.

“We are told to hack anyone taking part in the anti-government demos,” said one of them who confessed to have been involved in a number of the attacks.

We have his real name but we will call him Michael as he spoke with us in confidence for his own protection.

The thuggery

Since early 2023, Lilongwe has descended into a city where peaceful public demonstrations are crushed brutally by thugs armed with every crude instrument – pangas, sticks, axes, metal bars and clubs.

Here are some of the cases:

• On September 2, 2023, activist Bon Kalindo led a mass protest against high cost of living, shortage of forex and hunger, among others. Thugs wielding pangas and other weapons crushed the demonstration.
• On February 24, 2024, hoodlums attacked DPP members at Mbowe as they prepared for a party mobilization parade in the city.
• On November 13, 2024, panga welding thugs blocked members of opposition political parties from holding demonstrations over electoral issues.
• On November 25, 2024 a protest led by civil rights group Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (Cdedi) over fuel shortage ended prematurely as panga-welding thugs attacked and dispersed the demonstrators.
• On March 19, 2025, thugs also hacked teachers who had gathered to protest the 20 percent salary increment the government had offered.

All these attacks happened in the presence of police officers, ostensibly deployed to provide security to the demos.

In all these cases, police allowed the hoodlums to brutalise the protestors and no one has been arrested from these cases – with the police’s usual response being that they are investigating.

‘We can’t get arrested’

But Michael, who has been named in some circles for involvement in a number of the attacks, told us this week that the issue isn’t about investigation.

Rather, it is just the police conveniently looking away.

“I took part in the Kalindo demos attack and the Cdedi ones,” he told us.

“We are told to hack anyone taking part in the anti-government demos,” he said, adding they are paid for engaging in the thuggery.

“Where does the money which you are paid come from?” We asked.

“I wouldn’t know because our gang leader is the one who does the payment but where he gets the money from, we are not told,” he said.

Asked why they don’t get arrest