Chakwera lauds MHRC

President Lazarus Chakwera has hailed the Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC) for its dedication to promoting human rights for all, which has earned the commission global reputation.

Speaking at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe on Thursday during the swearing in of newly-appointed 8th cohort of MHRC commissioners, the President said the commission should jealously guard against erosion of the reputation it has earned over time.

He further cautioned the commission against  complacency and the selective approach to promotion of human rights.

Said Chakwera: “You have heard the saying that familiarity breeds contempt, and you must be vigilant against that common mistake. Do not become so familiar with your position that you begin to lose sight of your privilege to occupy it.

“Do not become so familiar with your task that you begin to be complacent in your execution of it. And do not become so familiar with the state of human rights in this country, that you begin to take the rights we enjoy for granted or begin to pick and choose which human rights you are going to attend to.”

In an interview, Human Rights Defenders Coalition chairperson Gift Trapence said his expectation is to have a commission that is willing to promote and protect all rights, including LGBTQ issues which are usually avoided for political sensitivity.

“We expect the new cohort of commissioners to be independent and professional and not to be selective in the promotion and protection of human rights in Malawi,” he said.

One of the commissioners Chikondi Chijozi, a lawyer who is continuing from the preceding cohort, said she could not agree more on calls for the commission to defend all rights.

“As a commission, we have always done that and indeed we will continue to promote human rights without being selective, including minority rights,” she said.

The new cohort of commissioners has three new faces in Teresa Ndanga, Viwemi Chavula and Andrew Kavala. They joined a team of four continuing from the previous cohort, namely Scader Louis, Sunduzwayo Madise, Bonface Massah and Chijozi, Ombudsman Grace Malera and Law Commissioner Rosemary Kanyuka, who are members by virtue of the offices they occupy.

This brings women representation in the current commission to 56 percent, which is above the set threshold under Section 11 of the Gender Equality Act which requires a 60-40 ratio of either gender.

MHRC has been operating without commissioners for at least eight months following the expiry of the previois cohort’s tenure.

But in an interview on the sidelines of the ceremony, Minister of Justice Titus Mvalo downplayed the impact of the absence of commissioners, saying the Ombudsman and the law commissioners who are also members filled the gap.

• Chavula is a human rights and social development advocate with applied interests in political empowerment of women, election observation, resource mobilisation, decentralisation and local governance, among others.  A teacher by profession, he holds a master’s degree in development studies from University of Free State in South Africa.

• Kavala is executive director for Malawi Network for Older Persons Organisation (Manepo) whose aim is to help older men and women claim their rights, challenge discrimination, and overcome poverty.  He is one of the board of directors for Global Ageing Network and Commonwealth Association for the Ageing. He also sits on the global steering committee for Global Alliance for the Rights of Older Persons. Kavala holds a bachelor of arts humanities degree from the University of Malawi, master of business administration from the Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences, and is currently studying for a PhD in Social Sciences with North-West University (NWU) in South Africa.

• Ndanga is a communication specialist and an award-winning journalist with over 10 years’ experience as a reporter and editor. Currently, she works as a communication specialist for an international non-profit organisation, Global Water Partnership Southern Africa. She holds bachelor’s degree in journalism obtained from University of Malawi and a master’s degree in public administration from Harvard University.