The Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) has launched parliamentary and local government by-elections set for March 17, 2026, to be held in five constituencies and nine wards.
Speaking during an address on the MEC Facebook page, MEC chairperson Annabel Mtalimanja said parliamentary by-elections will take place in Rumphi Central, Blantyre West, Dedza Mtakataka, Lilongwe City Bwaila and Nkhotakota Liwalazi.
| Courtesy of MEC
The wards earmarked for local government by-elections are Iyembe (Karonga Songwe), Luwinga (Mzuzu City North), Chilobwe (Lilongwe Chilobwe), Muonekela (Thyolo Goliati), Linthembwe (Dowa Ngara), Msitu (Mchinji South), Mikongo (Mangochi North East), Chanda (Zomba Chikomwe) and Chilunga (Zomba City North).
Mtalimanja said the vacancies arose from several factors, including postponement of electoral processes by MEC, deaths of duly nominated candidates, nullification of elections, court orders and judgments, and instances where winning candidates assumed other public offices.
She announced that the campaign period opens today and will run until March 15, 2026, while nomination papers will be submitted on February 21, 2026.
According to Mtalimanja, MEC has allocated seven days for voter registration, running from January 31 to February 6, 2026. Voters who registered during the September 16, 2025 General Elections will not be required to register again, as their details are already in the system.
However, she said voter transfers will not be allowed for people who registered in other areas but have since moved to constituencies where the by-elections will be held. Voters who lost their registration certificates have been advised to obtain replacements from the centres where they originally registered.
Mtalimanja added that new candidates are eligible to contest the by-elections regardless of whether they participated in the 2025 polls. However, candidates who contested in September 2025 will not be allowed to change political parties, and political parties will not be permitted to replace candidates.
