Malawian President Lazarus Chakwera has invoked constitutional powers to recall the recently dissolved Parliament for an emergency session on 5 August 2025.
The move seeks to amend the Presidential, Parliamentary, and Local Government Elections Act to enable citizens assigned to official duties on election day to vote at their duty posts, rather than at their place of registration.
The presidential directive aims to uphold the constitutional right to vote for all eligible Malawians, particularly those supporting electoral operations nationwide. The recall follows the constitutional dissolution of Parliament earlier in the week by National Assembly Speaker Catherine Gotani Hara, in anticipation of the upcoming general elections on 16 September.
President Chakwera’s action is grounded in provisions that allow Parliament to be reconvened during an election year in the event of a constitutional crisis. The upcoming polls are expected to be highly competitive, with over 20 presidential hopefuls in the race, including Chakwera himself and former presidents Peter Mutharika and Joyce Banda.