Accused of witchcraft, Malawi’s elderly people are still being killed

The deaths of two elderly women in Njema village in Mulanje District still haunt John Nasala. “The situation was totally out of control,” he recalls. “People were shouting, accusing them, throwing stones. No one wanted to listen. Our grandmother died on the spot.”

That was in January 2021.

Nasala, a relative of one of the victims, 75-year-old Mary Malikita, says the violence followed the sudden death of 28-year-old Jonathan Jasi, a grandson of Malikita. Jasi had fallen ill, Nasala says, and was rushed to a private clinic where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

But some villagers were not convinced. “They said it was witchcraft,” Nasala says. This forced the mob to drag Malikita and another woman, 78-year-old Jessie Pasinezi, accusing them of causing Jasi’s death. They were stoned, beaten and later locked inside a house. The crowd urged the women to bring Jasi back to life, Nasala says. 

Village Head Eliya Kankhomba says he tried to intervene but failed. “I made several attempts to calm the people and told them this was wrong, but the crowd was angry and would not listen. Some even threatened to kill me,” he says. The police intervention failed to save lives. Kankhomba says Malikita was pronounced dead on arrival at hospital, while Pasinezi died days later from her injuries.

A deeper crisis

Cases like these are not uncommon in Malawi. In the first four months of 2026, at least 12 elderly people have been killed over witchcraft accusations in the country, according to media reports. In a recent case in April, an elderly man was allegedly beaten to death by his nephew in Dowa District. Since 2015, more than 300 older Malawians are estimated to have been killed over witchcraft accusations.

According to Andrew Kavala, Executive Director of Malawi Network of Older Persons’ Organizations (MANEPO), these figures reflect a deeper crisis. “The continued attacks on older persons accused of practicing witchcraft are deeply alarming and completely unacceptable,” he says. “As an organisation, we are treating this as both a human-rights violation and a public protection failure.”

New laws struggle to stop old beliefs

Malawi’s legislation on witchcraft punishes those who accuse others of practising it with up to five years in prison. That aside, belief in witchcraft remains widespread in Malawi. According to a recent survey by Afrobarometer, more than 70 % of Malawians believe “a lot” in the existence of witchcraft. More than 60 % say that in their communities, elderly people are most often associated with it. “These attacks thrive where misinformation, fear and impunity exist,” Kavala says.

Malawi passed its Older Persons Act in 2024, which criminalises abuse of the elderly. Enforcement remains a challenge, however, according to authorities.

MANEPO’s Kavala says his organisation is taking measures to stop the attacks. “We are engaging law-enforcement agencies and policymakers to push for stronger protection mechanisms,” Kavala says. In the meantime, in Mulanje District, the deaths of Mary Malikita and Jessie Pasinezi remain stuck in many people’s memories. “They were innocent,” Nasala says. “But we failed to protect them.”

Lameck Masina is a freelance journalist with over 20 years of experience based in Blantyre, Malawi. 
lameckm71@gmail.com