Malawi 2008 Crime & Safety Report

Crime & Safety

Sub-Saharan Africa - Malawi
3 Jun 2008

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Overall Crime and Safety Situation

Malawi is often referred to as the “warm heart of Africa.” Most of the people in this country typify that phrase. However, there is a criminal element hiding behind the scenes here as well. Common sense security will serve most visitors to Malawi well, whether their trip is for business or pleasure. Pickpockets and purse-snatchers often lurk near bus stations, market places and restaurants. Fewer problems have been reported at the airports, but heightened awareness is still recommended there as well. Residing in better-known hotels and/or guesthouses is advisable and usually trouble free, though room burglaries have been reported. 

Walking alone at night should be avoided. In addition to the problems described above, visitors should also be mindful of carjackings, residential burglaries and home invasions. Criminals perpetrating these crimes are usually well armed and quick to use violence if their demands are not complied with. These criminal activities are at least as common in urban areas as they are in outlying settlements. Alertness while driving and good residential security practices are essential for deterrence. However, if faced with an armed assailant, compliance has been the best course of action to avoid personal injury. There is currently no information available on any specific terrorist threats to Americans in Malawi. Americans are welcome in Malawi and do not face any hostility or aggression due to their citizenship. Americans are encouraged to register with the Consular Section and check the most up-to-date consular information sheet on Malawi located at http://travel.state.gov/

Political Violence

Malawi has enjoyed relative political stability since the democratic elections of May 1994. Organized crime is not prevalent in Malawi. The country’s poverty and porous borders create conditions which could increase the susceptibility to extremist ideologies and provide sanctuary to extremists operating in Southern Africa. Malawi’s porous borders have also facilitated human smuggling rings and other cross border criminal activities. Malawi has been used as an illegal transit route for passage from other African countries, including Ethiopia and Somalia, en-route to South Africa. War or widespread civil unrest in Malawi in the near future is unlikely. Public protests, demonstrations, and strikes in the past year have had some impact on residents and visitors, but these actions were not directed at American citizens; protests can however become violent, and occasionally do result in fatalities, so visitors are strongly encouraged to avoid them while here.

Post-Specific Concerns

One of the greatest threats to personal safety in Malawi is road travel after dark. Lack of highway lighting combined with numerous road hazards (e.g. animals, pedestrians, bicyclists, ox-carts, slow moving vehicles, vehicles without lights, broken down vehicles, etc.) add-up to a truly dangerous situation. If a road accident occurs away from an urban area, there is little chance of a timely response by emergency medical personnel. Vehicle travel at night should be strictly limited to major urban areas. Plan all in-country travel so as to arrive at your destination before dark.

Police Responses 

The police in Malawi are generally well intentioned, but their ability to deter crimes, assist victims and apprehend criminals is extremely limited. The police lack basic equipment (especially transportation), are poorly funded, and therefore do not receive sufficient training. Americans traveling to Malawi should register with the Consular Section of the American Embassy in Lilongwe. Should you become the victim or suspect of a crime, you should: 1) contact the local police and the American Embassy, or 2) advise the public you are an American citizen and ask them to contact the Embassy for you. The police emergency phone number throughout Malawi is 997, which is the most reliable means of obtaining police assistance. The 24-hour phone number for the national police headquarters, located in Lilongwe, is 01-796-333. The phone number for the Lilongwe Central Police Station is 01-753-333, and the Blantyre Central Police Station can be reached at 01-623-333.

Medical Emergencies

Lilongwe - Lilongwe Central Hospital 01-753-555
                - Likuni Mission Hospital 01-766-602
                - Adventist Health Center 01-775-680
                - MARS Clinic 01-795-018
(The MARS Clinic offers fee-for-service emergency medical, ambulance and air rescue services.)

Blantyre - Queen Elizabeth Hospital 01-630-333 

               - Mwaiwathu Hospital 01-622-613


How to Avoid Becoming a Victim 

Carjacking - Carjackers in Malawi prefer to go after their target when the vehicle is stopped, but the engine is running (e.g. in residential driveways or at intersections).  The following information may be of assistance in avoiding such situations, or in knowing how to respond if you find yourself the target of carjackers:

- Always try to be aware of your surroundings, especially when pulling up to a residential compound gate or stopping at an intersection.
- Keep your car doors locked, and try to keep your windows at least partially rolled up.
- Watch for would-be thieves lurking near your driveway (either on foot or in vehicles.)
- Be alert for vehicles that may be following you. One popular method-of-operation used by carjackers is to wait for the target to pull up to an entry gate, then block the target in from behind with their vehicle.
- Drive away from suspicious situations.
- If you are unable to avoid a suspicious situation and you find yourself confronted by carjackers, it is usually best to fully and promptly comply with their demands; they are usually armed and will likely fire into the vehicle if there is any resistance.

Residential Burglaries - If staying in a single family home or cottage, you could be targeted for a burglary or home invasion. The following procedures should be adhered to as much as possible:

- Keep perimeter gates closed and locked.
- Use exterior lighting throughout the night.
- Keep all doors and windows locked when not using them.
- A residential alarm system is advisable, in conjunction with a local guard company reaction/response team.
- Establishing and using a residential safehaven/secure room is also advisable.
- Residential guard(s) are also recommended as a deterrent to crime.

For Further Information

From within Malawi the American Embassy in Lilongwe can be contacted by calling 01-773-166 or 01-773-342; for international callers, Malawi’s country code is 265 and the initial “O” should be omitted from all telephone numbers. These phone numbers can be used 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, for routine assistance or emergencies. During the business day these numbers will ring at the Embassy switchboard; after-hours, on weekends and on holidays, these numbers will reach a guard in the security office on extension 3443, who can contact an appropriate Embassy officer to assist you. The web site of the U.S. Embassy in Lilongwe is http: //lilongwe.usembassy.gov.

OSAC Country Council Information

There are currently no country councils established in Malawi.