Update: The High Court in Lilongwe has granted bail to human rights activist Sylvester Namiwa under strict conditions, according to Nyasa Times. Following previous delays in his bail ruling, Presiding Judge Mzondi Mvula ordered the CDEDI Executive Director to surrender his passport, pay a K5 million cash bond, and report every Monday to the National Police Headquarters at Area 30. The court also issued a gag order barring Namiwa and his organisation from commenting publicly on his ongoing treason case or holding press conferences related to the matter.
Update: The parliamentary inquiry into the Chikangawa plane crash that killed former Vice President Saulos Klaus Chilima will resume its witness hearings on August 24, Nyasa Times reports. After hearing contrasting testimonies in its initial phase, the Ad-Hoc Committee will now focus specifically on the events of the fatal flight itself. Committee Chairperson Walter Nyamilandu Manda announced that the new session, which runs until September 11, will feature testimonies from pilots, weather experts, airport flight planners, and community eyewitnesses.
In other political news, President Peter Mutharika's absence from a Kamuzu Palace luncheon celebrating the Malawi Scorchers women's national football team has prompted public questions, according to Nyasa Times. The team was being honoured at the presidential residence for their historic performance at the 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations, but the President did not attend the ceremony, leaving First Lady Gertrude Mutharika to lead the event. The government has not provided an official explanation for his absence.