MLS upbeat on Judiciary Bills

Malawi Law Society (MLS) has expressed optimism that the Judicial Service and Administration Bill 2023 (JSA) and the Constitutional (Amendment) Bill 2023 will finally be tabled and passed during the July 2024 meeting of Parliament.

MLS president Patrick Mpaka said this follows the submission of input from the Judiciary which was standing in the way to finalise the processes for the draft Bills to be presented to Parliament.

He was speaking in Mzuzu on Friday at the end of a series of advocacy strategy meetings MLS has been conducting with its membership as well as selected civil society organisations (CSOs) to get views on what strategy to develop in terms of pushing for the passing of the two draft bills.

Said Mpaka: “We have finalised the consultations on a high note with unique input from members of the profession and the CSOs. We will now develop a complete matrix of an action plan because there is little time remaining.

“One thing that had been standing in the way since we started engaging the Ministry of Justice was lack of input from the Judiciary which we have now received. This is great news and we are very positive that come July, these Bills will go through and get enacted.”

The society and MLS-Judicial Service Commission Bill (MLS-JSC Bill) advisory team commenced the advocacy initiatives on May 6 2024 in Lilongwe and have met representatives of CSOs and lawyers from its three chapters.

However, advisory team chairperson Raphael Mhone said through the advocacy initiatives, the society, as a key stakeholder in the administration of justice, was geared to seeing the draft Bills being presented to Parliament.

“What we are doing is not about MLS, but the delivery of justice in the country and judicial accountability to the people of Malawi,” he said.

Two weeks ago, the lawyers body threatened to hold demonstrations against the Ministry of Justice to force authorities to finalise the processes and have the proposed legislations enacted.