By Staff Reporter
Minister of Homeland Security Honourable Peter Mukhito says Malawi must develop a coordinated and organized response to transnational organized crime, warning that organized crime does not recognize borders, does not respect laws and does not care about the suffering of the people.
He was speaking on 9 November 2026 in Lilongwe when he officially opened the National Workshop on the Development of Malawi’s National Strategy for Combating Transnational Organized Crime facilitated by the SADC Secretariat.
Mukhito said organized crime continues to threaten peace, prosperity and the future of nations and drains national resources, undermines institutions, discourages investment and deprives people of opportunities, noting that Malawi’s borders with Mozambique, Tanzania and Zambia offer opportunities for trade and regional integration but are also exploited by criminal networks involved in trafficking, smuggling and money laundering.
He said the response must be coordinated, intelligence-led, technologically capable and grounded in the rule of law, emphasizing the need to strengthen intelligence sharing and inter-agency coordination among police, immigration, intelligence, border management, financial investigation and prosecution institutions, to strengthen border security and regional cooperation, to confront emerging threats including human trafficking, migrant smuggling, cybercrime and money laundering, to protect victims and uphold human rights, and to ensure implementation, accountability and measurable results.
Mukhito said government under President Arthur Peter Mutharika recognizes that there can be no meaningful development without security and no lasting security without justice, adding that Malawi’s strategy must align with the SADC Integrated Strategy while respecting national laws and international obligations.
He said combating transnational organized crime is essential to the realization of Malawi 2063, noting that peace, security and effective governance are key enablers for achieving an inclusively wealthy and self-reliant nation.
He said Malawi does not need another impressive document that gathers dust but a practical, adequately resourced and results-oriented strategy and has directed the workshop to produce an agreed draft strategic framework by 13 November 2026 identifying priorities, responsible institutions, timelines, resource requirements and performance indicators for consideration through appropriate approval processes, with the Ministry of Homeland Security providing leadership to move from development to implementation.
