- Musician faces public backlash and possible action over concert footage; Reserve Bank has repeatedly warned against mistreating the kwacha
The musician Zeze Kingstone has been widely criticised on social media after a video showed him throwing banknotes at a crowd while dancing during a live performance at the Bingu International Convention Centre (BICC) grounds in the early hours of Sunday.
The footage has circulated widely online, drawing strong condemnation from members of the public.
One report says fiscal police may have to deal with the matter, although no complaint or police statement has been reported.
The report says deliberately damaging, mutilating or misusing currency is an offence in Malawi, putting those who scatter or trample banknotes at risk of fines or arrest.
Throwing, splashing, or stepping on Malawi Kwacha banknotes at social events, weddings, or concerts is illegal under Section 54(2)(c) of the Reserve Bank of Malawi Act, 2018.
The Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM) has repeatedly warned the public against throwing, tearing or soiling banknotes.
According to the report, damaged currency forces the central bank to spend millions of dollars in foreign exchange each year printing replacements. The figure has not been verified.
Public reaction
The Malawi My View Facebook page carried one of the sharper responses. Its writer said a performer could not “treat your fans as objects of financial gratification by throwing banknotes at them as though they were dogs competing for scraps” without suffering reputational damage.
The post argued that the singer stood to lose public goodwill and that rebuilding it “can be far more expensive than the money you threw away”.
It described fans as “the human capital behind your commercial success”.
Mr Kingstone has not commented publicly on the criticism.
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