Ethnic associations and politics in contemporary Malawi

Abstract

Malawi has recently seen a rise in the number and prominence of formal ethnic associations. What is the nature of these organizations and what effect will they have on politics? To answer these questions, we conducted in-depth interviews with current and former leaders of the three main ethnic associations, Mulhako wa Alhomwe, Mzimba Heritage Association, and Chewa Heritage Foundation. The interviews and other documentary sources allow us to place these new organizations in historical context, describe their organizational structures, and examine their potential political influence. We depart from other studies in arguing that these ethnic associations are unlikely to pose a threat to state authority in the near term, and they have shown little or no sign of fomenting ethnic conflict. However, these ethnic associations have the potential to be used for political mobilization, especially when ethnic traditional authorities lack the capacity and autonomy to block the political manipulation of ethnic organizations.