Challenging Social Mindsets in Malawi

Wonderful Mkhutche is Humanists Malawi’s Executive Director. He spoke with Canadian humanist and writer Scott Douglas Jacobsen.


Scott Douglas Jacobsen: Today, we are here with Wonderful Mkhutche. We’re going to discuss humanism in Malawi, and we’ll also touch on witchcraft allegations. For an American humanist audience, Malawi may not come up as frequently as Canada might. To start, what is the relevance of humanism in a Malawian context?

Wonderful Mkhutche: Humanism is especially significant here among the small community of humanists. Humanism in Malawi is about challenging societal mindsets largely shaped by dominant Christian and Muslim beliefs.

Together, Christianity and Islam constitute about 90% of the population, alongside other beliefs such as traditional African religions and, to a lesser extent, Hinduism. Generally, Malawian society is deeply religious. As a humanist and someone who has been religious for most of my life, I have observed how religion has hindered social progress. My journey to humanism was fueled by a frustration with the limitations imposed by religious beliefs—the kind of restrictions that curb free thought. Any attempt to think outside these norms is often seen as rebellious and needing correction. Humanism, for me, was a way to break free from these boundaries.

Over the past ten years, I have been involved in humanism and have experienced growth in my social and moral awareness. This growth has extended beyond me; it has positively affected those around me, including family and friends, who have begun to question certain views on religion because of the changes they’ve seen in me. Humanism offers a path towards a more open-minded and progressive society in the larger Malawian context.

Jacobsen: Now, regarding witchcraft allegations, how common are they? And how does humanism, with its emphasis on science, empiricism, and skepticism, provide a basis to counter these beliefs, which are often rooted in superstition?

Mkhutche: Three-quarters of the population believes in witchcraft, and this belief impacts daily life in Malawi. Although witchcraft beliefs don’t always result in daily violence, people often blame illnesses, deaths, or misfortunes like job loss on witchcraft. These beliefs are primarily grounded in two foundations. First, there is a religious basis: as I mentioned, most Malawians are Christians or Muslims, and both the Bible and the Quran reference witchcraft. Rejecting witchcraft outright can feel like contradicting one’s faith. Secondly, there is a cultural foundation rooted in African spirituality and cosmology, where belief in witchcraft is widely accepted.

Humanism addresses these beliefs by challenging both religious and traditional foundations. In Malawi, humanism is unique in its approach to combating witchcraft beliefs because it promotes rational thinking and empirical evidence—offering a perspective that few others in society address.

Mkhutche: Other people may acknowledge that witchcraft exists, but they don’t believe we should be fighting or killing each other because of it. However, as humanists, we aim to eliminate the belief in witchcraft. We say witchcraft doesn’t exist, in the hope that, as people stop believing in it, the “virus” of superstition will also disappear from our society. That’s the unique approach humanism offers in addressing witchcraft. It’s the best way forward because we can’t allow people to believe in witchcraft and then expect them not to engage in violence because of that belief.

The best solution is to remove the belief, eliminating the associated harm.

Jacobsen: And what about individuals who were once Christian or Muslim, who believed in witches and witchcraft, and then came to be humanists like yourself? How do they describe their transformation away from superstition?

Mkhutche: Most people who shift away from that belief are Christians. We rarely see Muslims doing so, as Islam is a minority religion here. At times, Islam even has a soft spot for us humanists because there’s a form of Christian nationalism in Malawi, where Christians try to dominate society. Since Muslims can’t openly challenge this, humanism provides a voice against religious dominance. So when we speak against Christian nationalist tendencies, Muslims sometimes view us favorably.

However, the Christians who change their minds are few, as religious indoctrination is deep-rooted. Those who do shift often say, “I realize now that witchcraft wasn’t real; it was just a narrative implanted in me to explain social issues for which I didn’t have answers.” After that, they may join us in social media debates whenever we challenge beliefs in witchcraft. This transformation is something we see often. People who passionately argued with me five years ago now admit that we, as humanists, were right all along. They come out openly, acknowledging that they’ve changed their minds, though it takes time.

Jacobsen: What about public figures? Are there any celebrities, politicians, or public intellectuals in Malawi who promote humanism or humanistic values?

Mkhutche: No, that would be a dangerous stance to take. In Malawian society, openly denying witchcraft’s existence is risky. For example, if a musician or celebrity were to say witchcraft isn’t real, some people might stop supporting their work. I know some directors who agree with me that witchcraft doesn’t exist, but they lack the courage to speak publicly about it. Even for me, it hasn’t been easy. There’s a risk of losing economic opportunities simply for holding views that go against societal norms. This has been the case up until two or three years ago.

Right now, I see society beginning to open up. It’s creating space for some of us who are open to saying that witchcraft doesn’t exist. For example, the media often calls us whenever an event occurs, looking for our perspective. When I attend certain social events, and people recognize my name, that’s the first thing they mention.

They’ll say, “Yes, you’re the one who says witchcraft doesn’t exist. Tell me more.” So, the social space is gradually opening up, allowing me to voice my views. People may disagree with us, but they are willing to listen, even though these beliefs have been ingrained since birth. It would be even better if famous people were to speak openly about this issue.

This is why I’m motivated to climb as far as I can on the social ladder, to use whatever influence I may have to tell people that witchcraft isn’t real. I’ve seen how impactful that influence can be. Wherever I go, I represent that message. When people see me, they associate me with the message that witchcraft doesn’t exist. It works.

Jacobsen: What efforts are you making for humanism in Malawi and through organizations like Advocacy for Alleged Witches? How do you engage communities, villages, cities, and organizations with humanist principles to combat witchcraft allegations in Malawi?

Mkhutche: We have several approaches. The first is responding whenever there is a witchcraft-related case. In recent months, we haven’t had any cases of violence specifically due to witchcraft beliefs, though the narrative persists daily. However, whenever such a situation does arise, we see how we can respond—whether by reaching out to the traditional leaders in the area, speaking with the victims, or alerting the police, as we may not always be able to intervene directly. Even within our humanist community, not everyone wants to be on the front lines. Some prefer to keep their association with humanism discreet, even if they are critical of witchcraft or believe in God. So, although they are humanists, we can’t always rely on them for certain tasks.

For instance, when a media opportunity arises to discuss these issues, I may post in our group asking who is available, but only some respond, simply because they are afraid.

The second approach is media interviews. They are incredibly effective in spreading the message.

I recall a program on national radio where they invited me to share my views on witchcraft and the existence of God in a thirty-minute segment. They continue to rebroadcast that program, and I often receive feedback—people calling to hear more about certain topics. Some people already doubted the existence of witchcraft, so when they hear me say it doesn’t exist, they feel relieved, like they’ve finally found someone who thinks the same way. They reach out to connect with me.

At the University of Malawi, we also hold debates for students about various aspects of witchcraft and its impact on Malawian society. Events like these don’t start and end on campus; we invite journalists to cover them, and sometimes, we record these debates so they’re available online. We aim to use every possible opportunity to spread our message.

Jacobsen: One last question—something particularly relevant to humanists in the Global South compared to those in the Global North. In regions where safety, security, and privacy might be greater concerns, with law enforcement perhaps less accessible or social repercussions more severe, what risks should anyone in Malawi consider before coming out as a humanist? How might this offer a humbling perspective for others whose societies may not have these specific challenges, even though they face their issues?

Mkhutche: The risks of coming out as a humanist in Malawi are considerable. The first major risk is the loss of economic opportunities. It can be challenging to secure a contract or even employment if people know you don’t believe in witchcraft or, even more so, in God.

There’s also the risk of social isolation. I’ve seen cases where individuals’ families stop supporting them financially, whether for school fees or business opportunities because they’ve heard that person denies the existence of witchcraft or God. It’s a form of punishment for thinking differently. We have several cases like this.

Even in my experience, leaving religion didn’t immediately impact my economic situation, but I noticed some family members and friends began to distance themselves. I lost several friends, although I’ve reconnected with some over time. Others still won’t talk to me and say they’ll only reconnect the day I return to religion.

They were good friends then, but we’re no longer on good terms now. Those are some of the risks we face here.

When you compare this to the Global North, the situation is different because you live in societies where many people may align with your views. Here, however, in a country of 20 million people, imagine 19.5 million believing one thing and just a few of us holding a different perspective. It’s a significant challenge.

These issues keep arising, and you also asked about women and humanism. We don’t see many women coming forward—not because they aren’t there—they are. They speak about humanism privately, but publicly, they’re afraid. If a woman openly says she’s a humanist, very few men outside of other humanists would be willing to date or marry her. Many people here expect women to be religious, so women fear social isolation if they openly embrace humanism.

This interview will be for a flagship publication for American humanists, which will provide good exposure regarding our work on witchcraft allegations and advocacy in Malawi.

Jacobsen: Thank you, Wonderful.

Mkhutche: Excellent, thank you.