Civil society organisations have intensified their fight against alleged interference in Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (ESCOM) procurement processes, confirming that they are now preparing to take the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC) to court.
The groups say legal action is inevitable after what they describe as continued unlawful involvement by the OPC in procurement decisions that should be handled by statutory bodies.
Speaking in Lilongwe, the coalition of CSOs including HRCC, MaBLEM, FND, CHRR, and HRDC said court proceedings are now the next step in their push for accountability and protection of procurement laws.
They argue that attempts to influence ESCOM procurement undermine the Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets Authority (PPDA) and weaken institutional independence.
According to the CSOs, the decision to drag OPC to court follows what they describe as repeated failures to stop alleged political interference in awarding contracts.
They maintain that procurement processes must remain free from executive control, warning that continued interference threatens transparency and public trust in state institutions.
The organisations say they are now finalising legal steps and gathering evidence ahead of filing a case, insisting that the matter can only be resolved through the courts if no corrective action is taken.