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Leaning heavily on source-based information and thematic content analysis on conversations and prevailing discourse disseminating in the African continent and the global world, this paper analysis Malawi as a country that is plagued by extensive political instabilities. The principal objective of this paper is to depict Malawi as a country that has been a victim of political violence, post-election violent strikes and vote-rigging. As such, the continued electoral-violent experience of the latter-mentioned shows that it was a result of the disputed general elections which took place on the 21st May 2019, often referred to as the 'Tipp-Ex Election' which reflect a combination of fraudulent allegations and very glaring electoral irregularities. Equally important is the adoption and utility of a human rights perspective as the (theoretical paradigm) to help shape the current state of African electoral scholarship. The central argument of this paper is that Malawi's current state of affairs can best be understood when located into historicity and tackled from an Afrocentric standpoint. This article concludes by generating an alternative theoretical view that considers the significance of curbing this violence in the quest for bringing peace to 'the warm heart of Africa'.

Introduction Majority of Malawians have not yet adopted COVID-19 mitigation measures despite having knowledge about its infectivity, morbidity, and fatality. Understanding drivers of hesitancy to adoption of COVID-19 mitigation measures is critical as it can inform prevention programs. This study explores Malawians’ COVID-19 risk perception, and the associated constraints in the adoption of mitigation efforts. A Health Belief Model (HBM) approach was used to understand perceived factors that undermine public health COVID-19 messages to reduce the spread of the pandemic in Malawi. Methods The study applied rapid appraisal and photovoice qualitative inquiry to comprehend risk perception regarding COVID-19. We purposively selected 52 participants from three major cities in Malawi. Audio and video interviews were transcribed verbatim, and transcripts were coded manually to derive key themes and concepts. Results The study identified that social factors particularly religious and political beliefs influenced COVID-19 risk perception. Specific religious beliefs pertaining to individuals recognizing signs of the ‘Christian apocalypse’ were particularly associated with lower risk perceptions. Politically, participants believed COVID-19 lockdown measures were a ploy by the then-ruling party to remain in power. Conclusion The study suggests that religious beliefs and political environment undermine self -perceived risk of contracting COVID-19 among urban dwellers in Malawi. We recommend that diverse actors in Malawi should collaborate to promote the dissemination of accurate COVID-19 discourses and reduce the severity of the pandemic’s impact in Malawi.

While other African states experienced democratic erosion, Malawi has defied the odds and weathered attacks on its democracy, including those initiated by its powerful presidents. As a \"hard place\" for democracy—a poor country with a long authoritarian past and politically relevant ethnic divisions—what explains the resilience of Malawi's democracy? The courts and civil society served as countervailing forces against democratic backsliding. Through legal challenges and popular mobilizations, they have countered attempts by presidents to consolidate power and extend their terms. Unfortunately for Malawians, these countervailing forces were likely facilitated by other negative conditions, namely economic distress and presidential unpopularity. Malawi's experience, complemented by Zambia's recent pivot away from authoritarianization, provides some optimism for those concerned about democratic backsliding in Africa by demonstrating the potential for resilience even in challenging contexts.

Metaphor analysis has been a very attractive area of scholarly research within cognitive linguistics in which different abstract ideas get mapped into tangible concepts. In Africa, it has become common that individuals like presidents are given metaphors to conceptualise their performance in office with the objective world. However, such political metaphors have not received much attention in academic discourse, and research studies that address the impact of metaphors on presidents’ political legacy are rare. Therefore, this paper analyses metaphors that Malawians have used in relation to their political leaders by drawing examples from two State Presidents: Bingu wa Mutharika and Arthur Peter Mutharika, and how the legacy of the two eventually has come to be associated with the metaphors. In politics, metaphors are essential because they are the lens through which people view and assess their leaders at both theoretical and functional level. Using the approach outlined by Schmitt (2005), the study analyses four major metaphors, namely: MOSE WA LERO (The New Moses), NGWAZI (The Conqueror/The Great Warrior), CHITSULO CHA NJANJI (The Railway Steel), and ADADI (The father/Dad). This paper argues that political metaphors, whether for praise or self-glorification, have an impact on influencing, shaping, and preserving the image of political leaders during their tenure of office which eventually become their legacy. The study acknowledges that presidents’ legacy can be traced through metaphor analysis. The analyses can become meaningful and valid in unearthing the history of conduct and performance of individual leaders.