By Edwin Mauluka
Malawi’s Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development has urged traditional leaders in Nsanje and Chikwawa to take the lead in stopping mob violence linked to claims of “disappearing private parts”, warning that chiefs who fail to uphold the law risk dismissal.
The appeal follows a wave of killings in the two Lower Shire districts, where angry mobs have attacked people accused of causing genital disappearance through witchcraft or magical acts.
At least seven people have been killed, while the Malawi Police Service says 43 people have been arrested — 16 for spreading false information and 27 for murder.
Secretary for Local Government and Rural Development Reverend Moses Owen Chimphepo said chiefs have a responsibility to protect lives and maintain order in their communities.
“Following recent mob killings in Nsanje and Chikwawa linked to witchcraft accusations, the Ministry expects Traditional Leaders to lead in protecting lives and upholding law and order. Chiefs must prevent unlawful acts to avoid further loss of innocent lives,” Chimphepo said in a statement.
He reminded traditional leaders that their authority is a public trust that must be exercised lawfully and in the interest of citizens, warning that chiefs who abuse that trust could be removed under Section 11 of the Chiefs Act.
“Traditional authority is respected but not above the law. No custom or practice can justify unlawful or unjust conduct,” he said.
Chimphepo urged chiefs to discharge their duties with integrity, fairness and respect for the law.
The statement follows condemnation from Peter Mutharika over the killings.
Presidential Press Secretary Cathy Maulidi said the President had described the attacks as “deeply unfortunate and unacceptable in this modern era” and had directed law enforcement agencies to restore order and bring perpetrators to justice.
Mutharika also appealed to Malawians to stop spreading false rumours and taking the law into their own hands.
Meanwhile, Minister of Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare Mary Navicha said government was strengthening community protection systems in response to the violence.
Speaking to reporters in Lilongwe on Tuesday, Navicha said at least 16 elderly people have been killed since January over witchcraft accusations.
She said the attacks had exposed serious weaknesses in local protection structures, prompting the government to strengthen enforcement of the Older Persons Act, support by-laws against mob justice and intensify nationwide awareness campaigns.
“There is a gap. That’s why cases are still rising. But that’s why we are working in collaboration with other stakeholders,” Navicha said.
She said the government was working with the ministries responsible for homeland security, justice and local government, alongside district councils, to address the crisis.
Navicha also expressed concern that among 46 suspects arrested were eight minors, including a 15-year-old boy. She urged chiefs, religious leaders, parents and young people to reject mob justice.
The Malawi Network of Older Persons Organisations welcomed the intervention, saying it offered hope for protecting vulnerable elderly people.
Human rights organisations Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation and Centre for the Development of People also called for stronger community early-warning systems and intensified civic education on human rights and the dangers of mob violence.
In a joint statement, CHRR executive director Michael Kaiyatsa and CEDEP executive director Gift Trapence said no individual has the right to take the law into their own hands, regardless of rumours or suspicions.
The organisations said the violence reflected deeper societal challenges fuelled by fear, misinformation, low public awareness and persistent beliefs in witchcraft.
“They also point to weakened public trust in formal justice and law enforcement institutions, where some people may feel that authorities are either inaccessible or unable to respond effectively to community fears and concerns,” the organisations said.
Senior Police Superintendent Lael Chimtembo said five people had been killed in Chikwawa, where 23 suspects have been arrested, while two people were killed in Nsanje, where 20 arrests have been made.
Police said some suspects claimed their private parts had disappeared after physical contact with other people amid circulating myths and allegations of magical practices.
However, medical examinations conducted at Nsanje District Hospital confirmed there were no abnormalities and that all complainants’ private parts were intact.
The killings, which began on May 8, 2026, claimed the lives of Yobe Ching’oma, 42, and his wife Migresi Mussa, 37, both from Chikwawa; Madalitso Joe William, 42, from Chikwawa but killed in Nsanje; and Baza Sande, 34, also from Chikwawa.
Police have urged residents in both districts to use social media responsibly and cooperate with investigators by providing credible information that could help identify those behind the attacks.
—
Also Read: When rumours kill: Malawi’s governance crisis on full display
