MLS revives Malawi Law Journal
Malawi Law Society (MLS) has revived the Malawi Law Journal (MLJ), which the legal body and government believe is a milestone in the development of the law in the country.
The MLJ is a peer-reviewed academic periodical that contains original and previously unpublished work and comments on recent legal developments on diverse topics, among others.
The journal was launched Saturday night in collaboration with the University of Malawi at the end of a two-day MLS annual general meeting (AGM) and conference in Mangochi.
Speaking on the sidelines of the event, Attorney General Thabo Chakaka-Nyirenda said the revived journal will go a long way in enlightening the masses on matters of law, not only for the academia and professionals, but the citizenry too.
He said: “The journal will not only inspire the development of jurisprudence but also postulate the right trajectory of the country’s legal profession.
“We should be supporting these academic legal writings because they provide a platform for auditing our laws, their implementation, utility and relevance towards the Malawi 2063 and for the carrying out of needs assessment on matters that need legislation.”
Nyirenda described the journal as the “melting point” of the theory of the law, about the law and practice of the law in the country.
“The five articles present nuanced perspectives on a diverse range of legal topics demanding critical insight on issues that are often ignored,” said Nyirenda.
MLS president Patrick Mpaka said the society was mandated to conduct research, and given the dynamic nature of law, the journal will play a critical role in its development.
“We are reviving and launching the journal in continuation of our effort to undertake serious intellectual and practical discourse on matters of law that can promote research and development of law for the best protection of public interests under the law,” he said.
MLJ editor-in-chief Ngeyi Kanyongolo said the journal was a mouthpiece of the Malawian population as it speaks to various emerging issues in society.
“It’s an avenue for scholars, members of the society and population at large to use, express themselves and share the information,” she said, adding they hope to produce the journal at least twice a year.
The journal has five diverse articles on various topics including gender and elections. The MLJ was launched in 2007, but the last time it was published was 12 years ago.
