Malawi's Election Body Is Under Strain - and the Timing Could Not Be Worse

Malawi's Electoral Commission (MEC) is under increasing pressure due to a contested relocation to Blantyre, following an executive order by President Peter Mutharika in October 2025. The staff union's grievances, including issues with the relocation, lease uncertainties, and strained relations with the government, threaten to undermine confidence in the electoral body ahead of crucial by-elections and the 2030 general election. The dispute also involves the future of Chisankho House in Lilongwe and the legal status of the relocation, leaving the MEC's physical and institutional presence in limbo.