The Independent Complaints Commission (ICC) has condemned the Malawi Police Service (MPS) for what it described as gross negligence and unprofessional conduct during the June 26, 2025 protests organised by Citizens for Credible Elections (CfCE), where leader Sylvester Namiwa and others were assaulted by panga-wielding thugs in full view of law enforcement officers.
Releasing its findings on Thursday, July 24, ICC Commissioner Christopher Tukula stated that the police failed in their constitutional duty to protect demonstrators and bystanders, despite evidence of the attackers’ identities.
“Almost a month after the incident, no arrests have been made, despite photographic and eyewitness evidence showing those involved,” Tukula said.
While noting lapses by some Malawi Defence Force (MDF) personnel, the commission placed full responsibility on the police, citing their primary mandate to maintain order.
The ICC report highlighted that one senior officer deserted his post and failed to attend key planning meetings, contributing to the breakdown of coordination and security during the demonstration.
The commission’s investigation revealed that the protest, which left two vehicles burned, properties looted, and two journalists assaulted, “raised serious public concerns and cast questions regarding the conduct and capacity of Malawi Police to protect citizens in the exercise of their constitutional right to assemble and demonstrate with others peacefully.”
According to the report, “From the totality of the evidence, it is reasonable to conclude that police either knew or ought to have known about the potential risk of the demonstration being disrupted by panga-wielding thugs. The police inexplicably chose to disregard legal powers to protect citizens. A failure to invoke legal provisions designed to protect fundamental rights under the pretext of caution cannot absolve the police from liability arising from harm that results from their inaction.”
The ICC has ordered Inspector General Yolamu to “launch a full-scale investigation into the June 26 incident, with immediate arrests and prosecution of all perpetrators captured in the photographic and eyewitness evidence.” It also directed “internal disciplinary proceedings against all officers identified as having abandoned their posts, failed to execute lawful duties, or acted negligently in the face of danger to civilians.”
The commission warned that failure to act decisively would further erode public trust in the Malawi Police Service and compromise the protection of constitutional rights.
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