The Malawi Police Service (MPS) and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) must act on the assault of journalists by ‘suspected DPP supporters’ during the 150th Anniversary Celebrations of the Blantyre Synod of the CCAP.
On Sunday, October 25, 2026, Francis Chamasowa (a photojournalist at Nation Publications Limited – NPL), Kondwani Nyondo (a reporter at NPL), and Francis Nkawihe (a reporter at TWR-Transworld Radio) were attacked while covering an incident at the Synod’s Anniversary Celebrations in Blantyre.
While Chamasowa and Nkawihe were manhandled and forced to delete pictures, Nyondo was severely beaten up, and the assailants stole his phone. Nyondo reported the matter to Blantyre Police Station and was treated as an outpatient at the Gateway Clinic.
“The attackers arrived in DPP-branded vehicles at the venue of celebrations,” one of the journalists said.
However, DPP spokesperson Honourable Shadric Namalomba has refuted the allegations that the attackers are DPP supporters. He said the party strongly condemns the barbaric act, urging the police to investigate and bring the perpetrators to justice.
What is more appalling is that the attacks on journalists in the line of duty were happening in full view of police officers. We are yet to get the police’s comments on the matter.
MISA Malawi strongly condemns these senseless attacks on journalists who were merely doing their job.
We urge the police to investigate the matter, including the issue that police officers watched the crime being committed, and bring the perpetrators to justice. It is high time impunity for crimes against journalists came to an end.
MISA Malawi also calls on the Democratic Progressive Party to separately investigate the matter and discipline party supporters suspected of attacking the journalists.
We appreciate the commitments to protect journalists by His Excellency the President, Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika, and the Minister of Information and Communication Technology, Honourable Shadric Namalomba. However, their commitments need to be followed by action against impunity for any barbaric behaviour of the ruling party supporters.
Political party supporters need to understand that press freedom is guaranteed under section 36 of the Republican Constitution and an attack on journalists is a criminal act.
Journalism is not a crime.
