Abstract

This paper examines how Haswell Kunyenje’s Puludzu political cartoons merge art and critique to intervene in Malawi’s public discourse. In a climate of deep mistrust in politicians and chronic governance failures, the study argues that Kunyenje’s work provides a sharper and more accessible commentary on Malawian politics than official rhetoric or party manifestos. Drawing on interviews with newspaper vendors, readers, journalists, and editors in Blantyre and Zomba, it explores the cultural meanings of puludzu and its transformation into a metaphor for elite arrogance. Through iconographic analysis of Puludzu cartoons published in The Daily Times between 2009 and 2014, the paper shows how Kunyenje uses satire, caricature, and metaphor to expose moral decay and executive obstinacy among the Malawian leadership. Ultimately, Puludzu emerges as both a critique of failed leadership and a mirror of popular complicity, revealing the complex dynamics of power, accountability, and artistic resistance in Malawi’s post-1994 democracy.

Original language	en
Pages (from-to)	1-23
Volume	26
Issue number	3
Publication status	Published - 2025