June 19

Tension here in Malawi is palpable as the country prepares for county-wide, anti-governmnet demonstrations. The demonstrations, which were originally planned for June 20^th, were meant to call attention to President Mutharika’s increasingly dictatorial tactics. And while the protestors pledged to remain peaceful, rumors of violence rippled through social network sites and news sources.

On Tuesday, youth bearing the leading party’s insignia paraded through the streets of the commercial capital, Blantyre, brandishing machetes.

Around the corner from my guesthouse, a local radio station’s vehicle was vandalized following a broadcast in support of the demonstration. One vehicle was set on fire by masked men after the staff had left the office, while another was smashed in during broad daylight.

In the capital city’s main market, vendors packed up early on Tuesday afternoon, fearful of looting and lawlessness during the demonstrations.

And while these threats have deterred some people from the demonstrations, the challenge has fueled others.

A couple of people I’ve talked to have said that they still plan to attend the demonstrations.

“How can we stand by and watch the government ignore the rule of law? I will wear red (the color of the demonstrators) tomorrow.”

The demonstrations follow months of mounting frustration against Mutharika and his ruling party, the Democratic People’s Party (the DPP). While citizens suffers under economic stagnation and fuel and electricity shortages, members of Parliament have continued to enrich themselves, voting to raise their own salaries by 300%. Meanwhile, the DPP has sought to silence all forms of opposition: closing two colleges in the university of Malawi after professors were critical of the government; expelling MPs who strayed from party lines; ousting a British diplomat who referred to Mutharika as a dictator; and threatening to arrest anyone who protests.