In Malawi, law society argues presidential postponement of parliament is unconstitutional

The Malawi Law Society (MLS) has challenged President Peter Mutharika’s directive to postpone the Fourth Meeting of Parliament, saying the President has no constitutional power to issue it and urging Speaker of the National Assembly Sameer Suleman to reconsider. In a press statement issued on October 30, 2026, MLS Chairperson Davis Mthakati Njobvu said Section 59(1) of the Constitution does not allow the President to direct the Speaker on whether to convene or postpone parliamentary meetings. The Society said the provision gives the President, in consultation with the Speaker, power only to summon the National Assembly on extraordinary occasions and to prorogue Parliament. “To the extent that the President has exercised a power that he does not have under the Constitution or any other law, such a decision is ultra vires, illegal and unconstitutional,” the statement says.
Read the full article here: Nyasa Times