A senior figure in Malawi’s former ruling party, the Malawi Congress Party (MCP), has accused the government of politically motivated persecution following the continued detention of the party’s current secretary general, Richard Chimwendo Banda, without formal charges.
In a statement released on his facebook page yesterday, Eisenhower Mkaka, a senior MCP official and former secretary general of the party, said Chimwendo Banda has been held in prison for more than three weeks without charge after voluntarily surrendering to police on Dec. 12, 2025, upon learning that authorities were seeking him.
Mkaka cited remarks by lawyer Kadzipatike indicating that Chimwendo Banda has not been formally charged. He also said a bail ruling has not been delivered, despite a judge’s earlier assurance that the decision would be issued by email. No official explanation has been given for the delay.
The MCP lost power following the Sept. 16 elections, which brought the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), then in opposition, into government. Mkaka said the continued detention reflects a pattern of arbitrary arrests and selective enforcement of the law against former officials of the previous administration.
“The prolonged detention without charge violates the presumption of innocence and the constitutional right to a prompt judicial process,” Mkaka said, describing the actions of the state as deliberate and politically driven.
According to the statement, Chimwendo Banda’s health is reported to be deteriorating while in custody, raising further concern about his continued detention.
Mkaka called on the authorities to immediately issue the bail ruling or formally charge Chimwendo Banda and bring him before a court for plea taking. He said that if there are genuine public safety concerns, they must be openly presented and tested through the courts; otherwise, Chimwendo Banda should be released and given access to medical care.
“Justice delayed is justice denied,” Mkaka said, warning that continued inaction would reinforce claims of political persecution.
