Civil society campaigners have issued a stark warning that Malawi’s civic space is teetering on the brink, with a toxic cocktail of political polarisation, reputational attacks, licensing chaos and funding shortfalls threatening to silence activists across the country. “There is political polarisation and the civic space is uncertain and likely to fall. We need to be vigilant to safeguard the civic space,” Nkhoma warned. The gathering formed part of NAP’s Protect, Defend and Act: Community of Action project — an initiative designed to build coordinated resistance against threats to civil society. Mzuzu CSO Chairperson Edward Kantuseya echoed the concerns, admitting the future of the country’s civic space remains deeply uncertain — and called for greater engagement and collaboration among stakeholders if the mounting challenges are to be overcome.