Nineteen years after the Malawi Government declared minibus touting illegal in January 2006, the practice is still alive and thriving in Lilongwe’s bus depots, and elsewhere across the country.

‎Call-boys remain a defiant and unimpeachable authority in bus depots and in all other informal places where commuters board minibuses and taxis to their various locations and destinations.

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‎The practice has always been more than touting and showing travelers what minibus, or taxi to board: it is often an act of bullying, harassment, and intimidation to commuters as sometimes they’re practically forced into a minibus, or a taxi; or stopped from boarding any vehicle of their choice.

‎Incidents of theft have also been reported by travelers in the course of jostling with the call boys before boarding minibuses or taxis.

“Back then, only bus conductors handled passengers. It was safe. Conductors don’t steal from commuters like call-boys do. These boys pretend to help but they end up stealing travelers’ valuables, creating chaos in the process,” explains Muhammad Hussein, who once fell victim to the call boys’ long fingers at Lilongwe Bus Depot.

Another Lilongwe-based commuter, Marcy Chenjelere, recalls how she lost her bag, smartphone and cash in it as call boys fought for her at one of the terminals in Lilongwe.

Other than travelers, minibus and taxi drivers operating passenger services in designated and informal depots in towns across the country have also fallen victims to the call boys’ intimidating characters.

The minibus and taxi drivers are caught between official council fees and the unofficial fees demanded by the callboys for wooing passengers to get on board.

In Lilongwe, for instance, the city council collects K200 per hour from minibus or taxi drivers for parking in designated spaces, while call-boys charge an equivalent of one passenger’s fare for every trip.

Passenger service operators that Malawi News Agency (Mana) interviewed in Lilongwe expressed disappointment with the caller boys who, according to the operators, have grown more aggressive in recent years, demanding fees from passenger operators parking in various formal and informal terminals.

This dual burden on passenger service operators has led to daily confrontations and, in some cases, physical altercations between the drivers and the call boys as the former strives to meet daily income targets set by their employers.

“Lilongwe City Council owns this place – and that’s why we pay K200 per hour for parking,” said James Simba Chilembwe, a local minibus driver interviewed at one of the designated depots in Lilongwe.

“Still, the call-boys chase us away if we don’t pay them too. They’ve become a burden, even though we’ve accepted them as part of the system because it’s their means of survival. But LCC needs to enforce proper regulations because our business is suffering,” he adds.

Despite their frustration, some drivers acknowledge the complex social realities behind the touts’ continued presence and the drivers admit that touting has become a lifeline to the call boys in Malawi’s struggling economy.

“Many of these young men are supporting families, paying school fees with the money they get from touting. If the government reintroduces the ban without alternatives, we might experience higher crime rate,” observes one of the drivers, Hassan John, operating in Lilongwe.

The call boys, on the other hand, share a different side of the story, with most of them denying allegations of theft or harassment, saying such behavior would hurt their already fragile livelihoods.

According to Yohane Belo, chairperson of the Call-boys’ association at Lilongwe-Blantyre depot, situated along the M1 Road at Biwi, the call boys operate under an informal code of conduct; and rule-breakers face disciplinary action – often in the form of suspension. ‎

Belo acknowledges that the early days of touting were chaotic unlike present times when internal rules are enforced to prevent misconduct.

‎”Before we introduced our rules, some touts were involved in illegal behavior – but that changed,” explains Belo, adding: “We work with Area 36 Police to guide our operations. If government removes us completely, many poor people will be pushed further into poverty, and crime rates may rise.”

‎He adds that money collected by touts during the day is pooled together at close of business and distributed equally among members; a system they say ensures fairness and sustainability among their ranks.

One question that begs an answer is what happened to the ban that was once issued in 2006 on touting in the country’s passenger service industry across Malawi?

Lilongwe City Council (LCC) officials say they are aware of the challenges travelers and passenger service operators’ face regarding touting and, according to Public Relations Officer Tamara Chafunya, the Council has stepped up efforts to bring order to Lilongwe City’s depots.

Chafunya acknowledges isolated incidences of harassment but she stresses that the council is working closely with police to address them.

‎”We’ve established a complaints hotline and we are intensifying enforcement with the Malawi Police Service and the Road Traffic Directorate,” explains Chafunya, adding: “We’ve designated official loading and offloading zones, and we’re removing unauthorized personnel from the terminals.”

She continues to say only registered staff are allowed to operate in the depots, with law enforcement officers stationed at key points.

The LCC is also using a digital E-Parking system accessible via USSD Code 455501# to reduce cash handling and minimize the risk of corruption or extortion.

“Our aim is to create a safe, transparent, and regulated environment for bus operators and commuters. Through partnerships with transport unions and community leaders, we’re ensuring that the solutions are inclusive and sustainable,” Chafunya adds.

After nearly two decades of laxity in enforcing the touting ban, it remains to be seen if the terminals of Lilongwe, to begin with, will soon be rid of the hostile and uncompromising faces of the call boys to, for once, offer commuters and passenger service operators the peace they deserve.

A surge of brutal killings has remained persistent in the sectors of Area 25 in Lilongwe since May, 2025, with more than 5 deaths reported and some residents severely injured, and left to tell the story of terror.

The vice has left the community across the location’s breadth and length in total fear, with many resorting to staying indoors as early as 19:00hrs as the spate of attacks continues, with death lurking in the air.

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The accounts of those who survived the attacks are nerve chilling and they reveal a crisis requiring immediate attention from both authorities and the community.

“I had just closed my shop and I was cycling home when, suddenly, someone grabbed my neck from behind,” recounts one, Steven Phiri, a local liquor vendor at Msungwi Market.

“They started beating me mercilessly, demanding money and my phone; I passed out and I [later realized that] was rushed to hospital by passersby who found me lying unconscious,” continues Phiri, fear reflecting in his eyes.

While Phiri’s physical scars will remain a stark reminder of how close to death he once got, the emotional scars have brought out a dreadful feeling from deep within the Msungwi Market vendor.

“I’m too terrified to trust anyone near me: Even my own shadow scares me – yet I have to go out and fend for my household,” adds Phiri, the expression on his face clearly revealing a man in dilemma.

Tragically, not all residents attacked in the wake of the evil spate in Area 25 have been as “fortunate” as Phiri to share their stories.

On the night of June 30, 2025, one resident, Brian Nthondwa, was attacked and hacked to death near his home in Area 25, Sector 8, and his wife, Doreen – now a widow – still can’t believe that her husband will never come back home.

“My husband was attending a friend’s wedding and he planned to watch a soccer final afterward,” she recalls, her voice breaking as tears stream down her cheeks. “He never returned home.”  

Neighbors found Nthondwa lying in a pool of his own blood and they rushed him to hospital; and by the time Doreen got there, her husband had long died.

“He died like an animal, just like that; and now I’m left with four children and a broken heart. I pray that the thugs be brought to book and account for their evil act,” laments Doreen, visibly broken down.

According to residents, other recorded murders in Area 25 include that of a bloc leader in Sector 6; another of a Form Four student at Dzenza Secondary School; and, even more heartbreaking, a woman whose body was dumped at Kabwabwa Cemetery behind Msungwi Market at around 19:00hrs.

By the dead mother’s side sat her four-year-old daughter physically unharmed but psychologically cut to pieces. It’s the crying of the helpless baby at the graveyard that drew the attention of the members of the community.

More recently reported murders in Area 25 involved a young man, a resident of Area 25 C on the night of July 7, 2025; and another of a resident of Sector 7 who met his fate around Kalambo Primary School in Msungwi, on the night of July 13, 2025.

The streets of Area 25 that once felt familiar and inviting continue to scare its residents, leaving everyone looking over their shoulders, not sure whether they will make it to their next destination, or home, in one complete piece.

Community neighbourhood watch groups in the sectors of Area 25 say they’re devastated with the persistent security lapse, despite their routine patrols.

According to chairperson for Msungwi Neighborhood Watch, Henry Madzimayera’s observation, most of the killings that have occurred so far in Area 25 lack motive.

“In some instances, the attackers often leave the victims dead without stealing any valuables: it’s as if the murderers just derive pleasure from the violence itself,” explains Madzimayera.

The neighborhood watch chairperson’s observation is also shared by Benjamin Maganizo Banda, a bloc leader in Sector 6, who opines that the killings are not motivated by theft, but rather by a “desire to kill”.

Like most chiefs in Area 25, Banda has also responded to the crisis by initiating a community watch program and he encourages residents to remain vigilant during night hours and that businesses should close earlier to prevent potential harm, or more deaths.

Meanwhile, community leaders in Area 25 have appealed to local businesses and well-wishers to assist with self-defense training and equipment to community watch groups.

“We have written letters to companies to assist us with torches and other gear to help us deal with the perpetrators of these attacks and murders,” explains Banda, adding that there has also been strong collaboration between the community structures and Kanengo Police Station.

On the other hand, the Malawi Police Service (MPS), through the Kanengo Police Station has been on the ground to contain the situation as evidenced by a number of arrests that have been effected in the past two months.

On the night of June 3, 2025, Kanengo police station, joined by officers from Lilongwe, Kawale, and Lingadzi police stations, conducted an operation that targeted hotspots including Mgona, Nankhaka River, Area 49 Mvama, and Area 25 sectors 7 and 8.

The joint operation yielded 108 arrests for various offenses around Kanengo Police’s area of jurisdiction, according to media reports.

The police’s efforts, in collaboration with the residents, have led to further arrests, including seven suspects identified as Robert Petro, Leonard Kamphale, Patrick Mtengula, Thokozani Henry, Madalitso Chidzanja, Richard Moyo, and Henry Ebele.

The seven were arrested on July 7, 2025, in connection with various criminal activities, including robbery of cash and valuables worth about K40 million from a businessman in Area 25C on June 25, 2025.

Although the arrests above might not directly be in connection with the surge in the killings, the Malawi police are on to something regarding the violence surge.

“We know that there’s an increase in violence crimes in Area 25 and other areas under the station, among them, Area 49, Mgona, Kanengo industrial area,” explains National Police Spokesperson Peter Kalaya in an interview.

“We want to assure all Malawians that, as a Service, we have not taken this lightly: We are on top of it and our detectives have got leads they’re following and I can assure the public that we’re going to round the culprits up soon,” adds Kalaya.

According to him, the police in Kanengo, in collaboration with community policing forums have intensified day-and-night foot and vehicle patrols in Area 25 and the rest of the areas under Kanengo Police Station.

The MPS are also having increased engagement with local leaders i.e. chiefs, bloc leaders, political leaders and religious leaders to increase monitoring of the areas as the assailants could be from within.

The law enforcers have also increased awareness on the need for people not to walk around, alone, at odd hours, and for the public to make use of the numbers they are given to alert the police in cases of emergency.

“We’re not saying people should not walk at night – people walk at night for various reasons; but we’re saying when walking late in the night be in a company of at least three for your safety,” explains Kalaya.

He further appeals to the public to desist from sensationalizing issues of security concern on social media, saying this instils fear in the people living in the concerned community.

“Sensationalism creates fear of crime among the residents, and fear of crime is more dangerous than the crime itself as it brings mistrust and accusations that may lead to mob justice, fueling the very vice we are trying to stamp out,” he concludes. 

A quiet revolution is happening in the remotest parts of Mchinji, where the nearest health facilities are often several kilometers away.

The change is not being driven by medical specialists, but rather groups of determined women, who are mothers themselves, and they have taken it upon themselves to transform the immunisation landscape in their communities.

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Trinity Maloni, 24, a mother of one from Nyongani Village in Traditional Authority (TA) Mavwere, in the district, has seen the benefits of immunisation manifest in her family.

Her eight-month-old son is healthy and happy and he has avoided most preventable diseases.

“I am lucky that I got all the information about vaccines way before I got pregnant and, up to now, after giving birth, I have made sure the relevant vaccines have been given to my son,” said Maloni.

Thanks to a women’s group called Mother Care Group (MCG), Maloni was able to get encouragement and information on vaccinations that are necessary for women, children and even adolescent girls.

In Mchinji, the MCGs are turning the tide in areas traditionally underserved by health services.

The purpose of these groups has been to educate, mobilise, and ensure that every child under the age of five and every eligible woman gets vaccinated.

Mzama area in TA Mduwa is one of the hardest to reach areas, with the nearest hospital at Mikundi located 30 kilometres away, while other health facilities are, actually, in Lilongwe.

Chairperson of Mzama MCG, Sophilet Bakayawo, reflected on the journey they have undergone from 2022, helping transform women who were very reluctant to take their children for vaccination.

“Before the formation of the MCGs, we used to have problems with children getting sick from illnesses that could easily be prevented. We had little knowledge of what vaccines could do to children. Faced with the burden of being too far from a health facility made it worse, and we could lose the lives of innocent children,” said Bakayawo.

The formation of MCG in Mzama changed everything, and this has helped many children to prevent diseases that were once a burden in the area.

Equipped with the necessary information about vaccines, Mzama MCG has gone flat out to help advance the immunization narrative in their area.

“We live far from health facilities. But that does not mean our children should die from preventable diseases. We go door to door and talk to families, especially fellow women, about why vaccines matter. We also reach out to duty bearers to support this agenda,” Bakayawo explained.

Their tireless work has created significant demand for vaccines at the Under-5 clinics, which are the nearest health contact points in these distant communities.

In Matutu, TA Dambe, in the same district, another MCG called Matutu-Msasi is making headlines for its effectiveness.

Health Surveillance Assistant (HSA) for Matutu, Rhoda Chikudzulire, said the group’s efforts have improved vaccination rates in the area, as most of the women who shunned vaccines for their reasons have had their mindsets changed.

“Before the MCG came in, turnout for vaccines was low. People believed myths that vaccines would make their children sick or infertile. But these women have helped change the narrative,” said Chikudzulire.

The MCG, in its awareness and advocacy efforts, realised that the people lacked proper knowledge and took the battle to the heart of the community.

They engaged the chiefs and the community at large, but initially faced resistance.

The group never relented on their mission to rescue children from diseases that can easily be prevented.

Secretary of the Matutu MCG, Violet Kawere, said their quest is to make sure that every woman is aware of the vaccines that children and mothers must get.

“We faced resistance at first. But we kept engaging people at every opportunity that we got, such as church gatherings, at markets, and in all women’s groups. Today, even men proudly take their children to get vaccinated,” said Kawere.

The MCGs have not only created demand for vaccines in the areas where they have been established, but they have also ensured advocacy for the construction of under-five clinics to facilitate the easy administration of vaccines, taking into account the distance to health centres and hospitals.

The under-five clinics in Mzama and Matutu have solar-powered refrigerators, making it possible to stock the vaccines.

Some of the vaccines being administered include BCG, Pentavalent, Rotavirus, Measles-Rubella, Malaria, the newly introduced HPV vaccine for girls aged nine to 14, and Vitamin A.

Cold chain officer at Mchinji District Health Office, Johan Chirwa, attested to the MCGs’ role of bringing awareness to the communities on the importance of immunisation.

“The impact is tangible and coverage has improved in hard-to-reach zones because these women are ensuring no child is left behind,” said Chirwa.

The formation of MCGs was facilitated by the Centre for Research and Development Initiative (CERADI), with support from the Malawi Health Equity Network (MHEN), which is executing the Health Systems and Immunization Strengthening Project with assistance from the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI).

MCGs comprise 31 members, including a traditional leader, and Mchinji has 34 of these MCGs.

The inception of the MCGs has brought in significant changes, coupled with other factors, of course.

Figures show that there is an improvement in the coverage compared to two years ago.

Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) coordinator for Mchinji, Davis Sambikeni, said currently, Mchinji is at 83 per cent routine vaccine coverage as of 2024.

“We are making progress when we compare to some two to three years ago, where we could not meet 80 per cent coverage in most of the antigens. By then, we were 78 per cent and below,” said Sambikeni.

Although this is the case, Mchinji is currently still struggling with vaccines like that of Malaria, and Measles Rubella, mostly the second dose.

The MCGs in Mchinji have played their part in driving the immunisation agenda amongst the community members in the remotest areas, as they mobilise the people; the ball now rests in the court of stakeholders to drum up support and make sure vaccines are available.