The disappearance of genitals due to witchcraft... What is happening in Malawi?

Written by: Mohamed Diab

The recent violence in Malawi There is widespread controversy over the effectiveness of the witchcraft law inherited from the colonial era, after 7 people were killed following rumors that genitals had disappeared due to witchcraft.

Authorities are facing increasing criticism over the rise in murders linked to superstitions and misinformation, while human rights activists and experts warn of the danger these phenomena pose to security and stability within the country.

The myth of missing genitals turns into murders and puts Malawi's witchcraft law under fire.

The authorities believe that these events reveal a deeper crisis related to the existence of the witchcraft law inherited from the British colonial era since 1911, a law that does not recognize the existence of witchcraft but criminalizes accusations of it outside of legal proceedings.

Critics say this legislation is no longer appropriate for dealing with modern waves of rumors, especially those that spread rapidly within poor communities and lead to mass violence.

Mysterious rumors lead to mass killing in Malawi

During these events, police announced that five of the victims were killed in Chikwawa and two in Nsani, while 45 suspects were arrested, including 27 facing murder charges and 16 accused of spreading false information.

The investigations also indicated the possibility that the rumors may have been used for personal or economic purposes, given the existence of disputes between some parties.

Local leaders asserted that these claims do not reflect genuine cultural beliefs, but are linked to internal tensions and conflicts.

Doctors also denied that there was any scientific basis for the idea of the disappearance of the genitals, explaining that what is happening can be explained by cases of panic or extreme anxiety that may cause temporary physical symptoms that people misinterpret.

Researchers believe that these phenomena fall under what is known as mass panic, where fears spread rapidly within society and turn into firmly held beliefs that lead to violent behavior. Similar cases have been recorded in other African countries during periods of economic and social crises.

As the crisis escalated, proposals were put forward to amend Malawi’s witchcraft law to recognize it as a criminal offense and increase penalties for its practice. However, these proposals remain controversial, with human rights activists fearing that this will lead to increased public accusations rather than a reduction in violence, at a time when the country is still suffering from weak law enforcement and widespread misinformation.

Human rights organizations in Malawi had previously warned that proposals to criminalize witchcraft could exacerbate violence rather than reduce it, arguing that legal recognition of witchcraft could legitimize popular accusations and increase the targeting of vulnerable groups.

Human rights reports have documented more than 60 murders linked to accusations of witchcraft over two years, with most of the victims being elderly, in a recurring pattern of violence against the elderly accused of supernatural practices.