The Tanzanian activists had entered Malawi legally for a cross-learning trip with Malawian colleagues at the defunct Kayekera uranium mine in the Karonga region. Malawian authorities had approved the mission beforehand. The arrest and detention comes at a critical time during Malawi’s own domestic debates about the harmful impacts of mining on local communities.

Almost four million Malawians are battling severe famine due to poor or no harvests because of the effect of El Nino, which last year affected most of the country’s southern and northern regions. The numbers of those starving could double by the end of the year.

The government has lifted its ban on oil exploration on Lake Malawi in the hope of entering the seemingly lucrative business of oil export. But a number of reasons, including falling oil prices, predict that the people of Malawi will not profit from this undertaking.

Communities living along the northern part of Lake Malawi in Karonga district have launched a spirited campaign to stop Uranium Miner Paladin Africa Limited from dumping ‘toxic’ waste into Lake Malawi.

The law that attempts to address a serious human rights abuse like child and forced marriage would then also target Malawians for discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.