The plot is as chilling as it comes.
Bribe presiding officers to issue duplicate ballots; then mobilize unregistered villagers to storm polling stations and provoke violent scenes after being turned back; unleash a country-wide arson targeting major markets; and, finally the most alarmingly, deployment disgruntled retired soldiers to impersonate serving troops and stage fake protests that could be pass off as a military anger against the elections results.
Taken together the intent is to create a spectacle of disorder that could be used to contest, delay or delegitimize election results.
Fortunately, security personnel are taking these threats seriously. And they should.
First of all let us ask, where is the money coming from? The MK700 million? This, remains opaque, but all we know is that a “special fund” was raised from business tycoons with deep ties to the party. The figure, K700 million, is staggering, enough to sustain a covert operation involving logistics, transport, and payments to dozens of ex-soldiers.
This financial commitment underscores the desperation within the DPP ranks. This is not about democracy, it is about a party that knows it cannot win fairly, and is ready to burn the country to retain relevance.
The DPP’s strategy exposes something far more sinister. A willingness to hold the country hostage. Whether or not the plan succeeds, the very existence of such a plot undermines confidence in Malawi’s democratic process.
This is no longer about who wins or loses. It is about whether Malawi can survive the vote without being plunged into flames.
What makes this plot even more disturbing is its deliberate mimicry of the 2019 election protests. Back then, it was genuine anger over the irregularities presided over by Ansah. This time, however, the DPP’s plan is to stage-manage that chaos, weaponizing the memory of 2019 to delegitimize today’s outcome.
A manufactured crisis, orchestrated, financed, and militarized by the all-powerful DPP official and Mutharika’s aid Norman Chisale and his allies.
he depth and audacity of the plans is shocking and if let go, the country could face its worst political crisis since those mass protests and annulled vote of 2019.
But this could spiral out of control in ways even the DPP cannot manage and control. Once you unleash violence, you cannot control where it ends. Malawi could be staring at uncontrollable chaos, just because of the folly, greed and foolishness of a few.
The Malawi Electoral Commission and state security agencies now face the ultimate test. Protecting the integrity of the vote while safeguarding citizens from orchestrated violence.
