Confusion has rocked plans for anti-violence demonstrations initially scheduled for Friday, July 4, after Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Central Region Vice President Alfred Gangata made a surprise declaration that the protests were still on, despite an earlier joint statement with civil society organizations (CSOs) confirming their suspension.
The contradictory statements have sparked alarm across Lilongwe, particularly among parents and school authorities concerned about disruptions to the ongoing Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE) examinations.
The move has also cast a shadow of mistrust over the true intentions behind the protests, with increasing suspicion that the DPP is using the demonstrations to stoke political tensions ahead of the September 16 general elections.
On Tuesday, a communique jointly signed by Alfred Gangata, Benedicto Kondowe of the Civil Society Education Coalition (CSEC), and Robert Mkwezalamba of the Malawi Human Rights Consultative Committee (MHRCC), confirmed the postponement of the Friday demonstrations.
The statement cited concerns over potential disruptions to the national examinations and emphasized the importance of maintaining peace during a politically sensitive period.
It also called on authorities, including the Inspector General of Police and the Commander of the Malawi Defence Force, to convene a multi-stakeholder dialogue aimed at preventing violence in future protests.
However, within less hours of the meeting and the statement, Gangata appeared to reverse course in a Facebook post, stating that the demonstrations would proceed as planned and dismissing reports of their cancellation.
“Malawians should be assured that claims of the DPP leadership calling for the cancellation of demonstrations are false. These demonstrations are not organized by any political party but by concerned citizens determined to protest the Zikwanje philosophy that has terrorized our communities,” Gangata wrote.
This sharp contradiction has left civil society leaders stunned.
Speaking to our reporter Thursday morning, Mkwezalamba expressed deep disappointment at Gangata’s sudden shift and reaffirmed that the civil society had agreed with Gangata to suspend the protest.
“We had agreed that in the interest of protecting our learners and the integrity of the JC examinations, the demonstrations would not go ahead this Friday. We are shocked that Mr. Gangata is now backtracking and mobilizing supporters again,” Mkwezalamba said.
Similarly, Benedicto Kondowe warned that the political recklessness being exhibited by Gangata and the DPP risks destabilizing not only the education calendar but the entire electoral environment.
“This kind of inconsistency is dangerous. It shows that the motives behind the demonstrations may not be entirely honest. Civil society will not associate with actions that threaten national peace and education,” said Kondowe.
In an attempt to defuse the situation, the Lilongwe District Commissioner Dr. Lawford Palani has summoned Gangata and other key stakeholders to an urgent meeting scheduled for 2:30 PM today (July 3) at the Council Chamber.
In the invitation letter seen by this reporter, the DC has also extended the meeting invite to the Commissioner of Police for Central Region, Officers-in-Charge for Lilongwe and Lingadzi Police, and the Lilongwe City Council Chief Executive. The letter emphasizes the need to ensure law and order in the face of rising tensions and conflicting information surrounding the protest.
Sources within the DC’s office say the meeting will aim to “put sense” into Gangata and clarify whether the protests are political or civic in nature, and whether security guarantees can be made during a volatile period.
Although Gangata insists the demonstrations are non-partisan and driven by “concerned citizens,” mounting evidence suggests otherwise.
Earlier reports revealed that the DPP has been backing and coordinating these protests, with insiders revealing plans to provoke violent clashes with MCP supporters and law enforcement.
A social media post by Leonard Chimbanga, a senior DPP official, calling for “200 machetes” during demonstrations, only added to fears that the party is engineering chaos to destabilize the elections.
While Gangata has not directly endorsed Chimbanga’s violent rhetoric, his own past statements warning of retaliation and confrontation with Lilongwe vendors, who oppose the protests, paint a disturbing picture.
“This is not about democracy anymore. This is a pretext to trigger violence. The language, the timing, and the actors behind these demos point to a DPP campaign strategy rooted in anarchy,” said a political analyst from the University of Malawi.
The civil society’s call to suspend the protests was largely grounded in the potential disruption to the JC examinations. Parents in Lilongwe’s high-density townships of Area 36, Kawale, Mchesi, and Area 2 have been voicing outrage over the planned protest, fearing their children’s futures will be compromised.
“Why now? Why during exams? If DPP wants to campaign, they should go to rally grounds, not our streets. We won’t let our children suffer,” said Esther Malango, a mother of two JC candidates in Area 36.
CSEC has previously warned that political protests during examination periods risk causing trauma to students, creating educational inequalities, and eroding public confidence in the school system.
Observers are now questioning the real motivation behind the protests.
“This is no longer about condemning violence. The DPP is laying the groundwork for rejecting the election results. By provoking violence, they hope to manufacture a crisis,” said one civil liberties activist.
He added that Gangata’s back-and-forth is strategic confusion meant to discredit state institutions, make the ruling party appear autocratic, and portray the opposition as victimized underdogs, classic tactics in political propaganda.
Across social media and community forums, Malawians have begun expressing fatigue with what many see as the DPP’s “toxic politics.” Many users say they no longer buy into the party’s narrative of victimhood, especially after years of documented violence under their own administration.
“The same people who were sending cadets to beat up journalists and burn MCP offices now want us to believe they are human rights defenders? We’re not fools,” wrote one user on Facebook.
As the clock ticks toward Friday, all eyes are now on the Lilongwe District Commissioner’s office and what resolution today’s emergency stakeholder meeting will yield.
But one thing is already clear: the credibility of the Friday protest is in tatters, the intentions behind it are now deeply suspect, and the DPP’s attempt to brand it as a civic event has fallen apart.
What remains to be seen is whether Gangata and his party will heed the warnings, respect the examination calendar, and put the interests of the nation above their political ambitions, or whether they will plunge Malawi into another cycle of unnecessary conflict.
If peace is truly the goal, then the demonstrations must be called off. Anything less is a betrayal of the very democracy they claim to defend.
