Malawi’s Members of Parliament have officially ended their current session today, marking the start of the campaign period for the crucial September 16 elections. The lawmakers will not meet again until after Malawians cast their votes.
This closure comes after a full five-year term that was extended due to the court-ordered fresh presidential election. Some MPs will return to the House after the polls, while others will see their political careers end based on how voters judge their performance.
Political analysts observe a significant shift in voter attitudes compared to previous elections. “These days, constituents are looking at what their MPs actually delivered during their term,” explained Dr. Mercy Banda, a political science lecturer at the University of Malawi. “Just wearing nice suits and driving flashy cars won’t guarantee reelection anymore.”
The change follows growing public awareness and the historic 2020 court ruling that annulled the presidential election, which many believe awakened Malawians to demand more accountability from their leaders.
Several incumbent MPs facing tough reelection battles have been seen intensifying their constituency visits in recent weeks, showcasing development projects they initiated. Meanwhile, new candidates are campaigning on promises to do better than the outgoing legislators.
The Electoral Commission has set July 15 as the deadline for finalizing candidate lists, with official campaign activities expected to ramp up in August. Security agencies have pledged to ensure peaceful campaigns and voting.
As the political temperature rises across the country, all eyes are now on how Malawians will evaluate their representatives’ performance when they go to the polls in less than three months.
Key Events Discussed in the House:
• President Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera officially opened the 51st Session of Parliament and the 2025/2026 Budget Meeting on 14 February, 2025.
• On 18 February 2025, Parliament unanimously approved the appointment of Hon. Ackson Kalaile Banda, Member of Parliament for Mzimba South East, to the Parliamentary Service Commission.
• On 26 February 2024, President Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera appeared before Parliament, where he responded to questions from Members of Parliament on the State of the Nation Address (SONA) that he delivered in the House on 14 February 2025. The President tackled four pre-submitted questions, followed by supplementary questions.
• Finance and Economic Affairs Minister Hon. Simplex Chithyola Banda presented to Parliament the 2025/2026 Budget on 28 February 2025, pegged at K8.05 trillion.
• Parliament passed the K8.08 trillion 2025/2026 National Budget on 26 March 2025 to fund essential goods and services from April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026.
• Bill No. 13 of 2025: Appropriation: Appropriates K8.08 trillion for the upcoming financial year.
• Bill No. 14 of 2025: Supplementary Appropriation (2024/2025): Allows an additional K500.66 billion for the current financial year.
• Bill No. 12 of 2025: Value Added Tax (Amendment): Exempts bread from value-added tax.
• Bill No. 11 of 2025: Taxation (Amendment): Standardizes corporate tax rates and increases withholding tax on betting and gambling winnings.
• Bill No. 1 of 2025: Companies, Registrations, and Intellectual Properties Centre: Enhances the country’s intellectual property framework.
• Bill No. 2 of 2025: Copyright (Amendment): Amends the Copyright Act.
• Bill No. 10 of 2025: International Development Association (Accelerating Sustainable and Clean Energy Access Transformation in Malawi [Ascent Malawi) Project Using Multiphase Programmatic Approach Programme (Authorisation and Ratification): Authorizes the Ascent Malawi Project.
• Bill No. 15 of 2025: OPEC Fund for International Construction and Rehabilitation of Mangochi-Makanjira Road Project (Loan Authorisation): Authorizes a K35 billion loan from the OPEC Fund for International Development.
• Bill No. 3 of 2025: Marriage, Divorce and Family Relations (Amendment): Designates the Director of National Registration Bureau as the Registrar of Marriages.
• Bill No. 8 of 2025: Prisons: Repeals the outdated Prisons Act of 1956.
• Bill No. 9 of 2025: Penal Code (Amendment): Introduces house detention as a form of punishment.
• Bill No. 22 of 2025: Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (Construction and Rehabilitation of Mangochi-Makanjira Road Project) Loan (Authorization): Authorizes a K16.8 billion loan from the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development.
• Bill No. 19 of 2025: Foreign Exchange: Repeals the outdated Exchange Control Act of 1984 and introduces a new Foreign Exchange Act.
• Bill No. 20 of 2025: Tourism Industry: Establishes a legal framework for the development of a robust and sustainable tourism sector.
• Bill No. 18 of 2025: Construction Industry: Repeals the National Construction Industry Act and introduces new legislation to tackle challenges facing Malawi’s construction sector.
• Bill No. 16 of 2025: Sugarcane Industry: Establishes a comprehensive legal framework for the promotion and regulation of sugarcane cultivation for industrial purposes.
• Bill No. 17 of 2025: Mental Health: Replaces the outdated Mental Treatment Act of 1948.
Meanwhile, the National Assembly will be dissolved on 23rd July 2025.
