Mutharika postpones Parliament sitting to free funds for El Niño and fuel

President Peter Mutharika has postponed the fourth meeting of the 52nd session of Parliament until the next Budget Meeting, saying the government needs to direct money to the El Niño crisis and the fuel situation.

The instruction is set out in a letter dated 23 October 2026 from State House in Lilongwe, addressed to the Speaker of the National Assembly.

A stamp on the copy shows it was received by the Speaker’s office the same day.

The President cites Section 59(1) of the Constitution as the basis for the decision.

In the letter, Mutharika says the postponement will allow the government to “dedicate financial resources” to the ongoing El Niño and the fuel situation.

He says Members of Parliament may continue their work through their committees while the sittings are suspended.

He asks the Speaker to ensure that “all necessary formalities are observed” and to act “with the utmost respect to the Constitution”.

The letter does not give a date for the Budget Meeting, and the material available does not include a response from the Speaker, the opposition or the government.