Lawyers asked to shape economy
Lawyers in the country have been asked to help in shaping the country’s trade and economy by remaining professional and dedicated to their work as they scrutinise legal instruments to do with the economy.
Brian Chigawa, who was guest of honour at the Malawi Law Society (MLS) at annual general meeting (AGM) and conference which opened yesterday in Mangochi, told over 500 lawyers that they needed to help the country on the economic development path by ensuring that legal instruments governing trade and economy are well structured and effective.
Chigawa, a former director of legal and corporate affairs at the Common Market for East and Southern Africa (Comesa), said lawyers have an important role to play if the nation is to develop, asking them to develop negotiating skills in matters of trade and economy that are key to national economic development.
MLS president Patrick Mpaka, taking his turn at the opening of the AGM and conference, said Malawi in 1994 adopted the Constitution on the premises of seeking to guarantee the welfare and development of all the people of Malawi, national harmony and peaceful international relations.
“Malawians did so desiring a constitutional order based on the need for an open, democratic and accountable government.
“I would like to underline the words development of all because that is emphasis of economic justice. Let me also say that in relation to development of all, the Constitution underscores this point by providing for the details of right to development in section 30 of the Constitution. It is one of the most detailed provisions in the Bill of Rights,” Mpaka said.
He said there was need to underline constitutional order because that is emphasis on the rule of law.
“We also need to underline open, democratic and accountable government because that is where we the legal profession fit in. Based on our specialist training and knowledge we are the ones to ensure that those placed in positions of trust serve the interests of the people within the parameters of the law so as to effectively deliver the much hoped for development of all,” he said.
It was noteworthy, he said, that the people of Malawi did not create any individual to deliver to them economic justice, but they created institutions under the rule of law.
“It is also noteworthy that the legal profession and the Malawi Law Society in particular is a central part of an effective economic governance structure under Malawi law. All this was done with the aim of delivering economic justice to the people of Malawi as a whole,” he said.
The MLS president said if ordinary people of Malawi cannot feel the development they desired under constitutional order, lawyers must feel duty-bound to urgently interrogate and execute what they ought to do to assist in delivering economic justice to the people.
Senior counsel Modecai Mshisha and Christina Savjan are also expected to share their experiences at the society’s AGM and conference which closes today and has attracted participants from academia, government officials from Ministry of Justice and lawyers from private practice and corporate institutions.
Over 200 plus attended the meeting physically while others followed the proceedings virtually.
