Zimbabwe went through a similar situation after the 2018 elections but no major protests against the election results were raised by citizens. 

Zimbabwean state media has conspicuously decided to remain silent on the on-going post election violence in Malawi obviously to avoid alerting Zimbabweans how their northern neighbours reacted to a rigged election as was allegedly done in the Zimbabwe July 2018 elections.

Malawians have been on the rampage since results of last months general elections were announced that declared Peter Mutharika the winner.

Citizens, human rights groups and opposition parties have come together to discredit the election result and process which is due to be heard in the High Court of the country this week.

Zimbabwe went through a similar situation after the 2018 elections but no major protests against the election results were raised by citizens.

In neighbouring Malawi, post-election violence continues to surge days after Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) organised demonstrations calling for the resignation of Malawi Electoral Commission chairperson and ultimately that of President Mutharika as the protests spread to some trading centres in rural Lilongwe at the weekend.

Police units at Nsundwe and Mpingu Trading centres along the Lilongwe-Mchinji Road were torched on Friday while a road at Namitete was barricaded yesterday, leading the police to fire tear gas to disperse people.

During the Thursday protests, some people in Mzuzu, Lilongwe and Blantyre took the law into their own hands, stoning buildings and cars, and burning billboards and flags.

From Mzuzu to Lilongwe and then Blantyre, the protesters went berserk, looting shops, breaking shop windows, burning tyres and flags of President Peter Mutharika as well as manhandling some police officers.

The police have since arrested eight people for damaging property.

Property worth millions of kwacha was lost and police have said they are still assessing the damages to ascertain how much was lost, but have already arrested a few people in Mzuzu.

But HRDC and political parties that participated in the protests have distanced themselves from the acts and resultant losses, calling on law enforcers, Malawi Police Service (MPS), to act on deviants so that the law takes its course.

In the North, the affected buildings and properties include that of Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA), Department of Works, Malawi Prison Services, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) offices, banks and shops.

The MRA offices and Bata Shop were attacked after organisers had delivered their petition. They broke into the shop, stealing everything on the shelves.

At MRA, they threw stones at the office and cars; at Prison offices, they took down a sign post, while others rushed to DPP offices, where they broke into the premises, stoning the office and broke window panes.

DPP governor (North), Kenneth Sanga, said three bicycles went missing after the incident.

“We have asked for quotations from some shops that sell glass and we are waiting for that to have a real figure of the cost of the damage,” he said.

Near the Northern Region Police office, the protesters took down Mutharika’s billboard, and set it ablaze at Court House Roundabout, where they also burnt palm trees which added beauty to the place.

Mzuzu City Council (MCC) spokesperson McDonald Gondwe said they estimate the cost of damage to their buildings at K2 million.

“Apart from that, we are worried that some investors could be afraid of this criminal conduct and may not be able to come here.

“We want to get city rates from these business people, but if their business are closed or looted by of some criminals, it means as a council we are also losing out,” he said.

MRA director of corporate affairs Steve Kapoloma said they were still assessing the damage.

Mzuzu Police deputy publicist Paul Tembo said many people were still registering their losses, and it would take time to come up with a definite figure of the damages.

However, he said police have arrested some people in Mzuzu in relation to the fracas.

National Police spokesperson James Kadadzera condemned the criminal behaviour, saying perpetrators will face the law.

“The Mchinji Road was also blocked and Mpingu as well as Nsundwe police units were set on fire. To quell the situation—to stop looting and clear the roads—police used teargas,” he said.

Besides its neighbours descending into anarchy, Zimbabwean state media and government have opted to remain silent on the issue.