The Malawi Law Society (MLS) has put on hold nationwide demonstrations which were slated for tomorrow.
Last week, the Society announced the demonstrations inorder force the Ministry of Justice to table three draft Judiciary Bills in Parliament.
According to a notice by MLS announcing the suspension, the body said the move is to create room for further engagement with stakeholders, including the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC).
It said the decision follows a communication from OPC that it received the draft Bills and that Cabinet Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs is also meeting tomorrow to consider them.
“Further to the Extra-Ordinary General Meeting Resolution dated 27 August 2024 sanctioning the Society to petition the Ministry of Justice and conduct demonstrations on 9 September 2024 for the publication of the Judicial Reform Bills, the following key and relevant developments have occurred:
“Following the submission of the Society’s Resolution on 27 August 2024 to the Ministry of Justice for noting in terms of clause 3 of the said Resolution, on 3 September 2024. the Ministry of Justice advised the Society that the Judicial Reform Bills had now been submitted to the Office of the President and Cabinet to be dealt with in accordance with cabinet constitutional processes.
“On 6 September 2024, the Society advised the Ministry of Justice that in light of the information in paragraph (i), the Society would postpone its scheduled demonstrations to 12 September 2024. Accordingly, a memo issued for your information,” reads the statement signed by MLS chairman Patrick Gray Mpaka and honorary secretary Gabriel Gift Chembezi
It further reads; “in light of the above movements which are on record on the matter as seen against the remainder of the period before the current sitting of Parliament rises on 20th September 2024, and; in order to pave way for due cabinet and Parliamentary legal process under section 96(2) of the Constitution as read with the timelines and management thereof in Standing Orders 121, 125 and 126, the executive committee has decided to keep the demonstrations on hold,” reads a memo dated September 10 2024 which MLS has written to its members”.
