High Court Halts Wakawaka Market Relocation

The High Court in Lilongwe has temporarily stopped the government and the Lilongwe City Council from relocating vendors from Wakawaka Market, also known as Solomon Market, to the Bypass Market. The court has ruled that the traders cannot be moved until it first determines whether the planned relocation was lawful.

In a ruling delivered by Justice Kenyatta Nyirenda, the court granted an injunction because the matter is still pending before it. The judge noted that an application for judicial review is yet to be heard and determined.

The latest injunction follows an earlier court order obtained by the owner of the land on which the market is located. That order also barred the authorities from relocating the vendors until the court decides the legality of the proposed move.

The decision brings temporary relief to hundreds of traders who have been resisting relocation to the newly constructed Bypass Market. The Lilongwe City Council has maintained that Wakawaka Market operates on privately owned land, has encroached onto the M1 road reserve, and must be cleared to pave the way for road expansion.

On the night of May 22, 2026, the Lilongwe City Council demolished parts of the market and chased away vendors after they failed to vacate by the March 31 deadline. The council cited that the market sits on private land and encroaches on the M1 road reserve needed for expansion.

For now, vendors are free to continue operating from Wakawaka Market as the judicial review process continues before the High Court. 

vendors seen at the market on the morning of 30 June 2026.