With eight months until Malawi’s next elections, the ruling Malawi Congress Party (MCP) faces allegations of using the police to intimidate opposition figures and suppress dissent. Critics accuse the MCP of resorting to political harassment to silence threats to its agenda as its leadership faces mounting criticism over perceived failures.

The latest incident involves an impending arrest of Norman Chisale, Youth Director of the opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and former security chief for Arthur Peter Mutharika, the DPP leader widely regarded as a strong contender in the upcoming September 2025 elections.

In the past 24 hours, MCP officials reportedly ordered the arrest of eight DPP members, escalating accusations of state-sponsored persecution. Chisale, who has been arrested over ten times since July 2020, has yet to be successfully prosecuted for any wrongdoing, raising questions about the legitimacy of the charges.

Commentators have condemned the alleged abuses, warning the MCP and Malawi police to refrain from using intimidation tactics to stifle opposition voices. Observers argue that such actions erode democratic principles and undermine fair political competition, calling for respect for the rule of law as the nation approaches the crucial election period.