The Legal Aid Bureau says it is grappling with a severe shortage of lawyers which has crippled its ability to ensure access to justice for citizens.
The bureau’s Central Region assistant director Bwighane Mwenifumbo Masanjala said this yesterday during a meeting with journalists under Nyika Media Club in Mzuzu.
The meeting, jointly hosted by the bureau, the Office of the Ombudsman and the Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC), aimed to promote accurate reporting on the duties and responsibilities of the three institutions.
Masanjala said the bureau has 48 lawyers handling 26 701 cases, meaning each lawyer is burdened with an average of 550 cases.
“The backlog is severely impacting our operations and delaying justice for many Malawians in need of legal assistance,” she said.
Masanjala said the bureau is considering expanding the role of paralegals to handle minor cases, a move aimed at easing the overwhelming caseload.
On his part, Nyika Media Club chairperson Feston Malekezo underscored the media’s crucial role in promoting access to justice in the country.
He urged journalists to inform the public about the services provided by the human rights institutions and guide citizens to the appropriate channels for legal redress.
