A man in Malawi has been found guilty of insulting President Lazarus Chakwera after posting a TikTok video featuring an animated figure with Chakwera’s face performing quirky dance moves. Sainani Nkhoma was convicted by a court on Thursday for sharing the video and making derogatory comments about the president in a community WhatsApp group.
Members of the group in Mponela reported Nkhoma to the ruling Malawi Congress Party, leading to his arrest on Tuesday night. Judge Talakwanji Mndala ruled that Nkhoma’s actions were inappropriate and warned that the sentence, to be announced next week, could result in a fine of around $3,500 or up to six years in prison.
Chakwera became president in 2020 after the Constitutional Court ordered a re-run of the 2019 presidential election due to evidence of widespread irregularities, overturning the initial victory of incumbent Peter Mutharika. Following his win, Chakwera famously said, “I’m so happy I could dance all night.”