A legal standoff between the government of Malawi and the Malawi Electoral Commission is set to return to court, amid a dispute over the relocation of the commission’s headquarters.
At the centre of the row is the commission’s refusal to move from Lilongwe to Blantyre, despite a directive issued by President Peter Mutharika.
Shortly after taking office in October 2025, Mutharika ordered that the electoral body, along with several other state institutions, relocate within three months.
However, the commission challenged the directive in the High Court, arguing that it undermines its constitutional independence. The court dismissed the application in February this year on procedural grounds.
The Malawi Electoral Commission now says it will pursue fresh legal action against the state, setting the stage for another round in the ongoing dispute.
–ChannelAfrica–
