Lawyers have today started their Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Mangochi being hosted by Malawi Law Society (MLS) under the theme: 'Interrogating the Malawi Electoral System Towards 2025 General Elections'.
Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) chairperson Justice Dr. Chifundo Kachale is guest of honour and he delivered a key note address to open the AGM, with a call on all professional bodies to play their part to strengthen democracy.
Head of the bar in Malawi the honourable the Attorney General Thabo Chakaka-Nyirenda and several senior counsel are in attendance.
First presentation is by Dr. Henry Chingaipe, a political scientist specialised in the political economy of governance and development.
His paper is titled: 'The Development and Implementation of a Political and Campaign Finance Regulatory Regime in Malawi: The Politics of Good Appearances and Elusive Transparency and Accountability'.
Next presenter is Dr. Kizito Tenthani, an inter-party dialogue facilitator with over 15 years of experience, working exclusively with political parties.
Dr. Tenthani's paper is titled: 'Funding of Political Parties in Malawi: Critical Review of the Political Parties Act (2018)'.
Also making up the list of presenters is Emily Makuta, a holder of master's degree in International Economic Law, and her paper is titled: 'The Rule of Law at The Care of Electoral Integrity-The Role of A Bar Association'.
Dr. Bernadette Malunga, a senior lecturer from University of Malawi, will also be making a presentation at this MLS AGM that will run up to tomorrow, and her paper is titled: 'Dead on Arrival Political Party Financing Regulations: Analysis of Part V of the Political Parties Act.
Private practice lawyer Khumbo Soko, with 15 years post qualification experience, will come in as fifth presenter with a paper titled: 'Law Reform Post The 2019/2020 Presidential Elections Case: A Curious Case of Missed Lessons of History'.
Counsel Soko was among lawyers that represented Vice President Dr. Saulos Chilima, one of the Petitioners in the historic Presidential Elections litigation case of 2019 and 2020. His team and that of Dr. Lazarus Chakwera, now the President of Malawi, managed to convince the High Court of Malawi, sitting as a Constitutional Court, to annul the 2019 Predential Election and call for a fresh presidential poll.
The last three presenters are counsel Burton Mhango, Patrick Phiri and Henry Chizimba.
The MLS will be holding its elective AGM next year. The current MLS president is Patrick Mpaka.
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