Justice Kachale (centre), MLS president Mpaka and Attorney General Thabo Chakaka Nyirenda
* The concept of one man (or one woman) one vote is not an ordinary legal or political principle
* Because each and every person counts as each and every vote should counts as well
By Duncan Mlanjira
This year’s annual conference for Malawi Law Society (MLS), currently underway in Mangochi, is being held under the theme; ‘Interrogating Malawi Electoral System Towards 2025 General Elections’ and in his keynote address, guest of honour, Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) chairperson, Justice Dr Chifundo Kachale emphasised that “democracy is not an event that happens on election day, it is about the life we live thereafter”.
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“The concept of one man (or one woman) one vote is not an ordinary legal or political principle — because each and every person counts as each and every vote should count as well.
“Embedded within the idea of regular open elections is the notion that elections are an opportunity for the Malawian voter to make a choice about those who will exercise executive authority over them in a given timeframe,” said the High Court Judge.
On his part, MLS president Patrick Mpaka said: “Our five-year electoral cycle is a national strategy to facilitate the escape of the electorate from difficulties of hunger, disease, poverty, substandard public health facilities and poor road infrastructure among others.
“The legal Education and Legal Practioners Act requires us as an institution and as a body of professionals to protect matters of public interest touching, ancillary or incidental to the law.
“We have a settled role to play to ensure that openness, democracy, accountability and economic progress for all are entrenched in our country.”
Over 600 legal practitioners are attending the conference both physically and virtually, which is being held at Sunbird Nkopola Lodge in Mangochi.
Meanwhile, Standard Bank Plc has assisted the conference with a sponsorship of K5 million and Head of Private Banking, Joshua Banda said the contribution “is in recognition of the important role legal minds play in strengthening governance across multiple sectors, thereby contributing to economic growth”.
MLS Lilongwe Chapter executive committee secretary, Chanju Kondowe recieved the sponsorship thanked Standard Bank for the partnership.
