Speaker of the National Assembly Catherine Gotani Hara has officially announced the dissolution of Parliament marking the end of the 2019–2025 legislative term in accordance with Malawi’s constitutional provisions.

In a statement released on Wednesday, the Speaker confirmed that the dissolution is in line with Section 67(4) of the Constitution, which mandates that the National Assembly be dissolved on July 23 in an election year.

“This marks the end of the legislative term for the current cohort of Members of Parliament, who were elected during the 2019 General Elections,” Gotani Hara stated.

The dissolution clears the way for the September 16 general elections, as the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) intensifies preparations to usher in the next group of lawmakers.

The Speaker also clarified that, under specific conditions, Parliament can be recalled before the elections.

“If the President is of the opinion that a constitutional crisis or emergency has arisen, he may convene the National Assembly for that purpose alone,” she explained.

Notably, the 2019–2025 parliamentary term lasted six years instead of the standard five, due to a constitutional extension following the 2020 court-ordered Fresh Presidential Election, which realigned the country’s electoral calendar.

During its extended term, the outgoing Parliament presided over several critical legislative milestones, including the passage of electoral reforms, COVID-19 response legislation, and the oversight of national development programs.