Rights Activist Kambanje pressures Electoral Commission to obey Presidential Order to relocate to Blantyre

By Burnett Munthali 

Human rights defender Edward Kambanje has called on the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) to comply with government directive to move its headquarters from Lilongwe to Blantyre. 

Speaking to TWR, Kambanje argued that although MEC is constitutionally independent, it remains a public institution under the authority of government. 

He insisted that the commission must respect directives issued by the State, particularly when they concern administrative restructuring and national development planning. 

According to Kambanje, obeying the relocation order would demonstrate MEC’s commitment to the rule of law and its respect for constitutional authority. 

The activist said moving the commission’s base to Blantyre, Malawi’s commercial capital, would also bring electoral management closer to the country’s economic hub. 

His remarks come at a time when MEC has publicly refused to relocate until the courts provide clear guidance on the matter. 

The electoral body maintains that any move must be backed by legal clarity to avoid undermining its independence and operational continuity. 

President Peter Mutharika issued the directive instructing MEC and other government departments to shift their operations to Blantyre as part of a decentralization policy. 

The presidential order has since sparked debate over the balance between institutional independence and executive authority in Malawi’s democracy. 

Kambanje’s intervention adds pressure on MEC as political parties, civil society and voters watch closely to see how the standoff will be resolved. 

With legal proceedings still pending, the commission’s headquarters remains in Lilongwe while the question of relocation continues to divide opinion across the country.