International Journal of Membrane Science and Technology, 2023, Vol. 10, No. 1, pp 465-474 465 Upholding Constitutionalism in Precarious Times: Case study of Malawi Defence Force Vincent Thom Nundwe 1 *, Mavuto Tembo 2 , Chrispin Mphande 3 , Thokozani Andrew Chazema 4 , Hope Ngilazi 5 , David Kumwenda 6 1 PhD student Transformative Community Development Programme, Department of AgriSciences, Mzuzu University, Mzuzu, Malawi. vinnundwe@yahoo.co.uk 2,3,5 African Centre of Excellence in Neglected and Underutilized Biodiversity, Department of Agrisciences, Mzuzu University, Mzuzu, Malawi. 4,6 PhD student Transformative Community Development Programme, Department of AgriSciences, Mzuzu University, Mzuzu, Malawi. Abstract: This paper seeks to understand the role of the military in a democratic state. It focuses on how the military performs under the civilian leadership put in place through a duly elected process in Malawi. Evidence has shown that some civilian leadership have gone overboard to influence the military to act contrary to the constitutional mandate. This paper examines the role played by the Malawi Defense Force in upholding the constitution. Data was collected using an interview guide with key informants and archival research. Data was analysed using content analysis. The results suggest that on a number of occasions between 1994 and 2019 there have been occasions also referred to as ‘critical junctures’ where the civilian leadership attempted to influence the military to go outside its constitutional mandate and act in the interest of civilians in power. Key notable events include the death of the Head of State in 2014 and during the 2014 elections where the incumbent president ordered the closure of the Tally Centre arguing ‘immense irregularity’. The paper concluded that for the continued professional work of the MDF operated within the dictates of the law that guides their operations. Keywords: Civilian Control, Constitutionalism, Power Transition, Critical Junctures, Military Professionalism, Power Vacuum, Governance. 1. INTRODUCTION This study is about understanding the role of the military in a democratic environment. It focuses on how the military operates in defence of the constitution and how consolidated democracies cannot exist without the support of the military (Barrany, 2012). Globally, the military has three massive political advantages over civilian organizations and these include a marked superiority in the organization, a highly emotionalized symbolic status and a monopoly of arms (Finer, 2017). In addition, the military forms a prestigious corporation or order while enjoying overwhelming superiority in the means of applying force. With this in mind, one may wonder why the military does not rebel against its civilian masters (Finer, 2017). However, consolidated democracies cannot exist without the military being committed to democratic governance and that its support is a necessary condition for upholding democratic values (Barrany, 2012). Where there is no military support to uphold democracy, the institution becomes a threat to democracy as evidenced in some parts of Africa, Southeast Asia, South Western Europe, and Latin America (Feaver, 2003). In such environments, if officers in the military believe that state policies jeopardize their corporate, material, strategic, or other interests, they may well decide to mount an armed challenge to civilian rule. The year 2021 has experienced a number of coups in West Africa generally emanating from bad governance by the elected civil authorities (Sueilaman & Onapajo, 2022)