By Burnett Munthali
There’s a troubling assumption at the heart of our politics—that citizens are too naive to notice when they are being played.
The cycle is now familiar: thugs are deployed to terrorize, damage, and create chaos.
Vehicles are left with shattered windows, properties are damaged, and sometimes, people are physically harmed.
Then, as if reading from a well-rehearsed script, politicians appear in public to express outrage.
They condemn the violence with dramatic words, projecting concern that often feels hollow.
Soon after, the police step in to create the illusion of seriousness.
Announcements are made about investigations, arrests are promised, and statements are issued to assure the public that justice will be served.
But we know how it ends—nothing ever changes.
The culprits are never held accountable, and the so-called investigations fade quietly into the background.
Meanwhile, the public is left with fear, frustration, and a sense of betrayal.
This has become the standard playbook: inflict harm, perform condemnation, simulate justice, and repeat.
It’s a shameful, cynical strategy that thrives on impunity.
As Onjezani Kenani pointed out, this is not new—it is a tired narrative that assumes Malawians lack memory, intelligence, or the will to demand better.
But people are watching. They are connecting the dots.
The lies may be loud, but the truth is louder for those who are paying attention.
This country cannot move forward if violence continues to be used as a political tool and justice remains a distant illusion.
It’s time for leaders to stop insulting the intelligence of the people.
What Malawians need is not performative outrage, but real accountability and genuine reform.
Until then, the cycle will continue, and with it, the slow erosion of public trust in those who claim to serve us.