Malawi Faces Rising Witchcraft Killings and Impunity Crisis
Malawi is experiencing a surge in witchcraft-related killings targeting elderly citizens, described by advocates as a ticking time bomb due to rising impunity and institutional failures. In the first four months of 2026 alone, eleven elderly people were killed, a rate that threatens to exceed the twenty-two deaths recorded in all of 2025. Since 2015, over three hundred older Malawians have been murdered on such accusations. Despite passing the Older Persons Act in 2024, the government has failed to budget for social protection grants or constitute oversight bodies. Furthermore, the colonial-era Witchcraft Act of 1911 remains largely unenforced, with proposed reforms potentially worsening conditions for the vulnerable. Data from the Malawi Network of Older Persons Organisations reveals a structural pattern of violence, with a significant rise in attacks since 2020. Justice systems remain ineffective, as none of the seventy-two killings recorded between 2021 and 2023 resulted in concluded court trials. The crisis highlights severe gaps in governance, social protection, and legal enforcement, making Malawi one of the most dangerous places for the elderly in the region.
Wire timeline
Malawi Faces Rising Witchcraft Killings and Impunity Crisis
Malawi is experiencing a surge in witchcraft-related killings targeting elderly citizens, described by advocates as a ticking time bomb due to rising impunity and institutional failures. In the first four months of 2026 alone, eleven elderly people were killed, a rate that threatens to exceed the twenty-two deaths recorded in all of 2025. Since 2015, over three hundred older Malawians have been murdered on such accusations. Despite passing the Older Persons Act in 2024, the government has failed to budget for social protection grants or constitute oversight bodies. Furthermore, the colonial-era Witchcraft Act of 1911 remains largely unenforced, with proposed reforms potentially worsening conditions for the vulnerable. Data from the Malawi Network of Older Persons Organisations reveals a structural pattern of violence, with a significant rise in attacks since 2020. Justice systems remain ineffective, as none of the seventy-two killings recorded between 2021 and 2023 resulted in concluded court trials. The crisis highlights severe gaps in governance, social protection, and legal enforcement, making Malawi one of the most dangerous places for the elderly in the region.
mg