High Court Reserves Ruling in Explosive MEC–Mutharika Headquarters Battle

The High Court in Lilongwe has reserved its ruling in a politically sensitive legal battle in which theMalawi Electoral Commissionis challenging a presidential directive ordering the relocation of its headquarters from Lilongwe to Blantyre. The case pits the electoral body against former presidentPeter Mutharika, whose Executive Order No. 1 of 2025 directed several government institutions to relocate to southern Malawi.

During proceedings beforeSemion Mdeza, the court heard preliminary applications from lawyers representing MEC as well as strong objections from the state, represented by Attorney GeneralFrank Mbeta. At the centre of the courtroom confrontation is a technical but decisive legal argument: timing. Mbeta told the court that the filing was 18 days outside the mandatory three-month limit required under Order 19 Rule 20(5) of the Courts Rules, arguing that the court therefore lacks jurisdiction to hear the case.

“Because the decision was made on the 10th of October 2025, but they have only come to court on the 7th of January, which is outside the limits of the judicial review,” Mbeta told Nation Online after the closed-door hearing. He further argued that MEC had not applied for an extension of time, which he said makes the application procedurally defective. LawyerAndy Kaonga, representing MEC, made several applications before the court in an attempt to keep the challenge alive. •and referral of the issue to theMalawi Judiciary’s Chief Justice for certification.