Justice of Appeal Chikopa appointed Deputy Chief Justice
President Lazarus Chakwera has appointed Justice Lovemore Chikopa as the Deputy Chief Justice of the Malawi Judiciary following a review of its functional set up in 2021.
A statement released yesterday and signed by the Secretary to the President and Cabinet Colleen Zamba said Chikopa’s appointment is in pursuant to Section 111 (2) of the Constitution.
Chikopa, a Malawi Supreme Court of Appeal judge, becomes the inaugural Deputy Chief Justice (DCJ) and his appointment comes almost three years after Parliament passed the Constitution Amendment Bill which created the position.
Office of the President and Cabinet spokesperson Robert Kalindiza confirmed the appointment last evening.
He said: “I can confirm the appointment. Justice Chikopa becomes the Deputy Chief Justice with immediate effect.”
Malawi Law Society (MLS) president Patrick Mpaka welcomed the appointment in an interview yesterday saying they hope the new DCJ will set the right tone and standards for the role.
He said: “The 2021 constitutional amendments introduced this office and as the first DCJ we hope that Hon. Chikopa JA, SC will set the right tone and standards for the role of DCJ in improving access to and administration of justice.”
Initially, the Bill had a clause that said the President could appoint Judges on contract to help clear cases involving their special area of expertise.
But government removed the clause after a backlash from some members of the public.
In an internal memo dated April 14 2021 addressed to justices of appeal, High Court judges, registrars, magistrates, researchers and all members of staff, Chief Justice Andrew Nyirenda said the functional review’s objective was to re-organise and strengthen the Judiciary.
The review, which the Chief Justice described as forward-looking, came amid calls from the Malawi Law Society (MLS) to institute measures to discipline or impeach judges that delay cases unnecessarily.
The functional review also incorporated the establishment of new sections in the Judiciary.
President Lazarus Chakwera has appointed Justice Lovemore Chikopa as the Deputy Chief Justice of the Malawi Judiciary following a review of its functional set up in 2021.
A statement released yesterday and signed by the Secretary to the President and Cabinet Colleen Zamba said Chikopa’s appointment is in pursuant to Section 111 (2) of the Constitution.
Chikopa, a Malawi Supreme Court of Appeal judge, becomes the inaugural Deputy Chief Justice (DCJ) and his appointment comes almost three years after Parliament passed the Constitution Amendment Bill which created the position.
Office of the President and Cabinet spokesperson Robert Kalindiza confirmed the appointment last evening.
He said: “I can confirm the appointment. Justice Chikopa becomes the Deputy Chief Justice with immediate effect.”
Malawi Law Society (MLS) president Patrick Mpaka welcomed the appointment in an interview yesterday saying they hope the new DCJ will set the right tone and standards for the role.
He said: “The 2021 constitutional amendments introduced this office and as the first DCJ we hope that Hon. Chikopa JA, SC will set the right tone and standards for the role of DCJ in improving access to and administration of justice.”
Initially, the Bill had a clause that said the President could appoint Judges on contract to help clear cases involving their special area of expertise.
But government removed the clause after a backlash from some members of the public.
In an internal memo dated April 14 2021 addressed to justices of appeal, High Court judges, registrars, magistrates, researchers and all members of staff, Chief Justice Andrew Nyirenda said the functional review’s objective was to re-organise and strengthen the Judiciary.
The review, which the Chief Justice described as forward-looking, came amid calls from the Malawi Law Society (MLS) to institute measures to discipline or impeach judges that delay cases unnecessarily.
The functional review also incorporated the establishment of new sections in the Judiciary.
