Who sells a country for votes? From the onset it has to be mentioned that what the opposition has resorted to is no longer politics but a betrayal of the sovereignty of Malawi as a country.
Lake Malawi, regarded as the pride of the nation, should never be used as a campaign tool.
On Friday, June 14, 2025, Malawi was rocked by an alarming development—a fake press release surfaced, bearing the insignia and official seal of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, purporting that Malawi had signed a historic bilateral agreement with Tanzania to “equally share” Lake Malawi.
The document, complete with official formatting and a forged government seal, quickly went viral, causing confusion, anger, and fear among Malawians.
But behind the chaos lies a more sinister reality: this was not an innocent prank, it was a calculated act of disinformation designed to stir unrest, undermine government credibility, and weaken Malawi’s position on a decades-old territorial dispute.
And at the center of this misinformation campaign is desperate and reckless opposition political parties that seems willing to drag Malawi through the mud just to score cheap political points.
Lake Malawi is not just a body of water. It is a national treasure, a lifeline for millions, a key resource for fisheries, tourism, transport, and possibly oil and gas exploration.
The fake communiqué, carelessly crafted to appear official, attempted to present the outrageous claim as a diplomatic breakthrough. But it only succeeded in exposing the ethical decay and dangerous desperation in segments of Malawi’s opposition politics.
This is not the first time political figures have fumbled or neglected Malawi’s sovereignty over Lake Malawi. When Joyce Banda served as President (2012–2014), her administration toyed with the idea of international mediation, which some observers interpreted as a sign of willingness to compromise Malawi’s historic claim.
Arthur Peter Mutharika, who ruled this country from 2014 to 2020 without any tangible work or development to show, did no better. Despite being a constitutional law professor (and some people doubt this claim), his administration allowed the dispute to stagnate, failing to mobilize regional or international support for Malawi’s position.
APM was just sleeping at the State House and remained largely silent on the matter. Probably, he was so much preoccupied in pleasing his new wife Gertrude who he married soon after being elected.
It is therefore the height of irony that today, functionaries from parties led by Joyce Banda and Mutharika would come up with such a fake communiqué that undermines the same national claim they once failed to defend.
Since 2020, the Malawi Congress Party (MCP)-led administration under President Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera has taken a more proactive stance. It is apparent that this government understands that the Lake Malawi dispute is not just about lines on a map, it is about identity, heritage, and national survival.
To forge a press release on such a sensitive matter is not only unethical, it is criminal.
This is not politics. This is not criticism. This is treachery.
This no longer opposition politics but a shameful descent into reckless, unpatriotic sabotage. This is political vandalism. It no longer spin or misinformation, it is a calculated act of deception designed to cause panic and undermine the current administration by any means necessary, even if it means destabilizing the nation’s foreign relations.
And for what? Political mileage? Cheap shots against the government?
The opposition must ask themselves: is this how they hope to govern, playing with the emotions of Malawians?
Now, Malawi is the biggest loser in this web of lies.
Above all else, the ultimate losers in this saga are not the politicians who peddle lies. It is the people of Malawi. It is the fishermen whose livelihoods depend on the lake. It is the women who draw water daily from its shores. It is the schoolchildren who will grow up confused about their country’s borders because of this political deceit.
Most tragically, the people living along Lake Malawi become pawns in a political chess game they did not ask to play.
But beyond everything else lies a deeper betrayal.
This was an attack on Malawi’s sovereignty and on the people’s right to truth. It shows how far some opposition elements are willing to go, not to offer better leadership, but to create chaos from which they hope to benefit.
It is also our diplomatic reputation at stake.
This forgery jeopardizes the trust that international partners place in our government’s official communications. It weakens the state’s ability to negotiate real bilateral or multilateral agreements in the future, because it sows confusion about what is true and what is not.
It undermines the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the security agencies, and the entire democratic infrastructure when fake documents bearing official seals are passed around like candy.
There is a line that must never be crossed, even in the heat of political competition. National sovereignty is sacred. Spreading disinformation about our borders, our land, and our national assets is not politics, it is betrayal.
We can disagree on policies. We can critique leaders. We can demand transparency and accountability from our government. But we must never stoop so low as to fake official agreements that endanger the country.
What is even more infuriating is the deafening silence from key opposition leaders in particular Joyce Banda and AP. Not one of them has come out to categorically condemn it. Not one has called for an investigation or disassociated their party from the propaganda. This silence is telling and dangerous.
It signals either complicity or cowardice. Either way, it is a betrayal of leadership.
In a country where political loyalties often run deeper than the facts, remaining silent on such a serious matter is a form of endorsement. And if the opposition cannot rise above partisanship to defend Malawi’s territorial integrity, then they are not ready to govern.
As we head toward the September 16 elections, let this moment be a wake-up call to every Malawian voter that the future of this nation cannot be built on deception.
To those in the opposition: if you truly love this country, then act like it. Lies will not win you votes. They will only destroy the very nation you hope to lead. Be reminded that seeking office is not a license to destabilize a nation. If you wish to lead Malawi, you must first love Malawi. You must defend her borders, uphold her laws, and respect her people. Anything less is treasonous.
As Malawians, we must reject politics of lies and division. We must rally behind truth, accountability, and nationhood. Let us be vigilant, patriotic, and uncompromising when it comes to protecting our nation by rejecting leaders who do not care a hoot about this country.
Beyond the rhetoric, it must be made clear: Tanzanians and Malawians sharing the borders share a common heritage. They even share the same languages. They are essentially one people. One Africa.
