Malawi Democracy Movement

The Malawi Democracy Movement was a social movement aimed at overthrowing Malawi's dictatorship and creating a liberal multi-party democracy that began in 1992.

Background

Hastings Kamuzu Banda had been the dictator of Malawi for 30 years (since independence from the British Empire), under him, Malawi had been part of US hegemony and had repressed civil liberties, economically stagnant and patriarchal. Pope John Paul II visited the country in 1989 and urged the bishops to alter the country, meeting them later in Rome to insist again.

Events

On the 8th of March, 1992, Malawi’s eight Catholic bishops wrote a pastoral letter called Living in Our Faith, which was read in churches throughout Malawi. The letter denounced the government’s rigid censorship of mass media, infringement on education, and frequently illegal imprisonment of hundreds of Malawians. Two days later, the Bishops were arrested by the government, and detained and interrogated for eight hours. Inspired by the letter, university students in Zomba began demonstrations that spread to other areas of Malawi. Police fired at the demonstrators and the students, who were reported to have battled with police.

Junior army officers protected the students from the police and encouraged them to protest. A month later, senior and middle ranking army officials told President Banda that they would not take part in any suppression of Malawians who wanted democracy. From the 20th to the 23rd of March, 80 exiled opposition activists met in Zambia, meeting as the United Front for Multiparty Democracy. Following the conference, Chikufwa Chihana returned from exile and was arrested that day after making a speech calling for multiparty politics. Upon his arrest, pro-democracy campaigners held more demonstrations.

Meanwhile, tapes were discovered in which government members discussed the possibility of assassinating the bishops, which led to more demonstrations. Throughout all this, the army firmly continued to remain neutral. When President Banda asked for foreign aid from the Consultative Group of the World Bank, who were meeting in Paris on the 11th of May, his request for $800 million was denied. The aid donors told Banda that aid would remain suspended until the human rights and political conditions in his country changed. In the meantime, the donors only sent humanitarian aid. Due to pressure from aid donors, Banda had already released 88 political prisoners.

Strike and Massacre

On the 4th of May, 3000 textile factory workers went on strike demanding democracy and release of political prisoners. The strike was disbanded that same day, but the workers returned on the 6th of May to march to the city center. They were joined by unemployed youth, students, and other workers. Police fired with live ammunition at the protestors, which lead to looting of shops, destruction of property, and vandalism. 38 people died during the events.

Unrest continued over the following months, with Banda supporters and police attacking protesting students and workers. But on the 18th of October, 1992, Banda announced a referendum to democratise the country. People voted yes and in 1994 Malawi became a representative democracy.

Results

The movement succeeded in overthrowing the dictatorship and creating a representative democracy, but despite this, Malawi is still deeply poor and conservative, with the government criminalising homosexuality in 2010.

See Also

• Revolutions of 1989 - 1992

References

Global Nonviolent Action Database - Malawians bring down 30-year dictator, 1992-1993