Malawi’s revered and most celebrated Governance and Human Rights Advocate Undule Mwakasungula condemned the recent stoning of President Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera’s convoy in Chikwawa on Thursday, describing the act as “unacceptable”.

Police had to use teargas to disperse irate people who threw stones at Chakwera’s motorcade, damaging several vehicles in apparent retaliation for the uprooting of opposition party flags.

The fracas left a police officer sustaining serious injuries while two vehicles identified as Toyota Land Cruiser Prados on the presidential convoy had their windscreens damaged, according to The Nation newspaper.

The paper further reported that a State Residences Toyota Coaster, a Ministry of Transport and Public Works truck and a Malawi Congress Party (MCP) vehicle were also damaged in the fracas at Nkhate and Livunzu trading centres.

Reacting to the development, Mwakasungula, a celebrated and fearless governance and human rights advocate in Malawi, denounced the act, stressing that attacking a presidential motorcade is not only unacceptable, but also represents a serious threat to the rule of law, peace, and unity that we strive for as a nation.

“Violence, in any form, should never be the answer to political disagreements. As President of the Republic of Malawi, Dr. Lazarus Chakwera holds the constitutional right to travel to any part of the country. This applies to the President, who is mandated to serve the entire nation, not just a specific region or group. We, as Malawians, must acknowledge that President Chakwera is our national President, whether we like him or not.  He was elected to serve all Malawians, and any attempt to undermine this fundamental truth threatens our democracy,” he said in a statement shared with us.

Mwakasungula said the incident requires further investigation, and that those responsible for organizing or inciting the attack on the president’s convoy must be held accountable.

He said it was imperative that law enforcers must identify and address such acts to prevent future occurrences, not only during President Chakwera’s tenure, but also beyond.

“The safety and respect of our leaders, regardless of political affiliation, is a cornerstone of any functioning democracy. This investigation will serve as a warning to anyone attempting to engage in such acts of political violence in the future. At the same time, we must appeal to the supporters of the Malawi Congress Party to refrain from retaliating in response to this incident. Retaliation only perpetuates the cycle of violence and does nothing to resolve the underlying issues. Instead, we must focus on constructive dialogue and the rule of law to address challenges. Violence, in any form, should be condemned, and it is our collective responsibility to promote peace, not escalate tensions,” he said.

According to Mwakasungula, such incidents bode well as the country approaches the 2025 general elections, incidents like these do not bode well for the peaceful and democratic process we all hope for.

He observed that Malawi has made great steps in building a peaceful and democratic society, and we must safeguard this progress, and that the upcoming elections must be free, fair, and credible, with results accepted by all stakeholders.

He further stated that such violence undermines the spirit of democracy and the peaceful coexistence that Malawians cherish.

“It is also important to stress that all political leaders, whether in government or opposition, have the constitutional right to move freely across the country. Our democracy is built on principles of freedom, respect, and peaceful political competition. Leaders must lead by example and avoid manipulating the youth or vulnerable groups into committing acts of violence. Instead, they should encourage dialogue, tolerance, and peaceful engagement in the political process. Therefore, we must remind ourselves that national peace is a shared responsibility. Acts of violence, like the stoning of the President’s convoy, threaten the stability of our country.  Hence, we must stand together, condemn such actions, and work collectively to promote peace and tolerance in Malawi,” said Mwakasungula.