Lawyers call for resignation of Malawi Law Society president

March 12, 2020 Alfred Chauwa -Nyasa Times 100 Comments

Lawyers in Malawi have petitioned the President of Malawi Law Society( MLS) , Burton Chidongongo Mhango to resign for failing to run affairs of the organization and allowing it to be peddling partisan politics in favour of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

MLS president Chidongondo Mhango and honourary secretary Kaukonde: Under fire from Malawi lawyers

The petition calls him to step down as the body’s leader together with Secretary of the MLS, Martha Kaukonde and vice president, Patrick Mpaka.

This is contained in a letter addressed to the trio and is in circulation on the social media.

In the letter, the lawyers are accusing Mhango and his team of failing to defend and promote local lawyers by encouraging Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) to hire South African lawyers to represent the electoral body in the appeal case of the presidential nullification c while there are many lawyers in Malawi.

They say undermining Women Lawyers Association and failure by MLS to offer legal advice to Malawians on critical issues affecting the country especially matters affecting the weak and the vulnerable, is also another reason to boot them out.

The lawyers says the leadership of the MLS lost trust from the members as lawyers in Malawi and as a result,  Mhango and his lieutenants cannot be entrusted to lead the organization, hence calling them to step down so that other capable lawyers took over the leadership.

Meanwhile, Malawian lawyers are expressing their views on MEC decision to hire foreign lawyers from South Africa in different social media forums.

Lawyer Khumbo Soko is wondering on how many Malawian advocates have been hired to go and argue in foreign jurisdictions and how many foreign jurisdictions have got laws that allow an advocate from another jurisdiction to be granted audience to argue a case, saying Malawians look down upon themselves thinking that anything from across the borders is better.

On his part, Dean of the faculty of law at the University of Malawi’s Chancellor College, Sunduzwayo Madise, says using tax payers money K600 Million to hire foreign lawyers to argue a Malawian case and only on appeal after the arguments have already been filed is a scandal.

“Is this really the best way to spend tax money when hospitals have no drugs and which budget line is MEC, an aggrieved party warranting this lavish expenditure,” Madise, who is also commissioner at Malawi Human Rights Commission, wondered.

The four South African Lawyers, Dumisa Ntsebenza sc, Elizabeth Makhanani Mere, Gideon Phalatse and Caphus Mboweni, arrived in the country on Sunday, 8th March, 2020 to assist in the preparation of the appeal case on behalf of MEC.

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100 replies on “Lawyers call for resignation of Malawi Law Society president”

  1. Tumbuka people AKA northerners are shameless backstabbers like Jews. After noting that they can not form government via vote, they scheme CSOs to get into power through backdoor. Devils to the core.

    DPP and UDF kundimvetsa sugar lero mu Lilongwe. The city centre was yellow-blue-yellow-blue all over.

    Atumbuka samalani. Tsiku lina mtambo wanuyu adzakugwiritsani nsete.

    1. Talk about inferiority complex. I have never understood why people from the most populated region constantly spend sleepless nights about people from the least populated region. It must really suck to be a southerner.

    2. Pain ndi atumbuka amakuyabwani yooh isalowe day osawatchula Koma atumbuka 🤗🤗🤗 atonga nkhatabay angoni mzimba atumbuka rumphi where mhango comes ankhonde karonga mwaulambiyas kwao kwa mtambo kayira chitipa and other 10 referent languages yet mtumbuka silowa day kkkkkkk .mu southerner si mlomwe Yao Sena mang’anja polani motoooo a Malawi ndife amodzi

  2. I was wondering, when does someone become non-partisan? I am very sure that even those seeking the resignation have their parties and my gues is that they just want to replace this team with those who will be peddling the other way round.

  3. kodi si baton emweyi pa dzana paja ananyasitsa za zisankhoyi and you guys have not dealt with him yet???still leaking his arse?

  4. Burton Mhango married the younger sister to Peter Mpinganjira’s wife. Peter Mpinganjira is a young brother to Thom Mpinganjira. So u know what Is happening. Burton is highly compromised.

  5. My friend Martha Kaukonde please zitayeni za MLS mkuwononga dzina lanu. Get out please before its too late.

  6. THIS COULD BE JUST ONE OF THOSE DPP TACTICS TO SIPHONE OUR TAX MONEY. DPP IS REALLY ON SICK AND DEATH BED.

    1. Siphoning money in calling for Law Society stepping down???School take munapita ya Madras’s! Shupiti

      1. he means hiring of foreign lawyers for a hooping 600m when MEC says it is expensive to hold another election. there is no moral justification for this expenditure. they are just shooting themselves in the foot.

  7. Kamuzu was once represented by Stanbrook, was stanbrook a Malawian? From which district did he come From? Was there no MLS at that time?
    The ones that are demanding the resignation of Mhango, Kaukonde are the ones that must be relinquished of their membership from the MLS.
    Mhango, Kaukonde congratulations for looking at the happenings in the country with professional eyes while others are seeing the same with monetary eyes.

    1. Very different scenario; Kamuzu paid Clive Stanbrook QC from his pocket. APM and MEC are using tax payers money to pay these South Africans.

    2. You’re shallow minded. Kamuzu was a private citizen when he hired Stanbrook. MEC is a government body using taxpayers money.

    3. Except that Kamuzu (MHSRIP) was being represented by a foreign Lawyer in his own right, as an individual, unlike MEC which is funded by taxpayers money

      1. No matter how much you explain to dudes like Mesimazi, they will never get it. Their thinking capacity is limited by their blind loyalty to their equally dunderhead president.

    7. Let’s altogether laugh at the shallowness of Mesimadzi thinking capability or lack of it.😁😁

  8. Shame on justice system.in malawi..well.connected or corrupt offenders.dont lose cases in malawi..thats a fact.

  9. Former Chief Justice Richard Banda was not hired but Employment which contained conditions and terms .

  10. The trand of change for Malawi 1891 British protectorate 1914 around 24 years Chilembwe revolt. Transition of First World War 1920 to 1950 and 5 years of Second Word War 30 years and Struggle against what Kamuzu and the People of Malawi then Nyasaland called STUPID FEDERATION OF RHODESIA AND NYASALAND and 1950 to 1963 Struggle transition to Self Rule Independence under Kamuzu Banda for 30 years until Democracy and it is Now around 28 YEARS of STUPID DEMOCRACY. The error of Change to sensible democracy. No matter what the trend is for CHANGE AND THIS CHANGE HAS NOT REVERSED IN MALAWI. THOSE WHO ARE RESISITING WILL NOT MAKE IT.

    I rest my pen.

  11. I agree with Dongo Linyake. Why have Malawian lawyers suddenly become cry babies. For years you have failed to do the right thing by making sure you are true professionals in your field. And what did you do? Celebrate thieves among your ranks now you are crying because some South African lawyer has been hired. Am sure if you had a good lawyer among yourselves his or her services would have been needed around the world. Prove to this nation that you mean good to serve this nation otherwise alot us will be sceptical

    1. 1st. even if u have a foreign lawyers to work on the case on which there is overwhelming evidence of irregularities there is little that the lawyers can do to change things.

      2nd. like i have there is no moral justification for MEC to spend tax payers money on foreign lawyers when it says having another election is costly.

      3rd. why is MEC trying so hard not to have another election, why has Ansah not resigned as promised only to change heart that she will resign after an appeal? do u see that they are doing it in good faith or not?

      4th. DPP/APM makes an appeal to the supreme court but goes flat out on the streets OPENLY accusing the same courts of corruption. was this a right move to make by the DPP at this point in time?

  12. on avarage we know how much each party got in the previousl elections even if the figured were tampered with, however what we do not know is how many new enimies and new friends are the main contensting presidents making. If politicians just submitted their short version of manuafesto i.e 2 page list of what they will bring and remove without writing their party names, who would you vote for. After reading or hearing what Dpp will bring( or coz they r already in power, will maintain same status core) and after hearing what MCP will bring and remove, who do you want to rule. Is malawi at the best ever level of leadership and dewvelopment which can be archieved that we do not want to change anything, if we do, are we happy to change to the things that MCP are promising.

  13. Thank you Judge Madise to give us inside how this thieves misusing our tax money! Is there any chance under the new administration to claim this money back! Why do we have to pay for all the bills this loosers produce?

    2. its not Judge MADISE but rtaher his elder brother Dr Sunduzwayo MADISE who is a Dean of Law at Chanco

  14. Kwaine top 3 ya exceptionally good lawyers in Malawi ndi R. Kasambala, M. Msiska and K. Kaphale. Kwinako mugawana nokha using quota system.
    So you see your concourt judges banned the 2nd respondents best lawyer what did you expect MEC to do?
    We would rather spend millions of kwachas paying good lawyers than spend billions in elections.
    Ukangandiwamba wanuwu sukuthandizani. Basi firm ndi firm kukhala ndi maloya awiri timafirm mbwerekete pameme anzanu elsewhere one firm has 20 or over number of lawyers. Do you think angabe ndalama za client?
    This solo practice firms are not only common in legal firms but other professionals as well: medical practitioners, engineers, architects, auditors, etc. So don’t be surprised if big organisations ignore one man firms because if you die the contract is dead too.

    3. Thats why in Malawi things will never change. R Kambara is not a good Lawyer, was convicted and Jailed, he is out Dubiously, He confused Dr Joyce Banda and this costed her the winning the Presidency. To be a good Lawyer, one must not be a criminal, with good Morals, its not only about winning cases but also a human heart and Wisdom

      1. 0kay we have heard about Kasambara but can also listen to your South African lawyers,
        There are Crooks here in SA and they lived on debt (Kukatorera Ngongole) and almost 3 of them as named are burned here in SA with their case of Limpopo province.As your people as HOW DID THEY COME ACROSS THEM??????????????/ Crooks Crooks .

    5. Much as there is some sense in your opinion ‘we would rather spend millions of MK paying good lawyers than spending billions in elections’ i want to assure you that this case has an obvious ending with or without those lawyers. Mec would have done that long time ago now it is too late. In my view, Ansah is afraid of testing jail in the case that opposition wins again at Supreme court of appeal. The spending therefore is not for the betterment of Malawians but for her own fears.

    6. Raph Kasambala Nope.
      He is o much into publicity like a fake religious prophet.
      Kaphale has just been exposed recently.
      Mordecai Msiska has just outstaged and expoesd all half baked lawyers in our land. on this Guru, I Agree.

  16. Mr Saunders, I have lived in South Africa for 15 years at a certain University as Lecture and Dean of Law. Are you telling me that all Malawian Lawyers are corrupt and did you just read or this time you were born to see people of Malawi crying for better laws of Malawi.Did you know the reason why Hon.Judge Chikopa was asked to leave Zambia. Did you know the real roles to be covered by Kaphale in Malawi. Did you know that MEC as such is just a reference private act. Did you know that we still have British laws in books.Did you accompany yourself to Kwacha building where laws were bent in favour of others. Let me tell you this; Malawi Laws needed the amendment because a British lawyer does not know all Malawian laws and you cannot talk of South Africa. I very much agree with one writer herein that he/she must be a good lawyer on the land despite nepotism etc. This is too much in South Africa. I think find someone mature enough for MLS.

    1. Sir, read again my posting, I didnt say all Malawian Lawyers are corrupt please! read the writings of other people with a sober mind. Malawi being a Country that was colonised by the British had no option but to go by their standards, infact the British had established traditional courts to cater for the local Malawian which Kamuzu abused. The traditional Courts were caterring for a Local Malawian issues and the Guardians then were the Chiefs and we were supposed to start from there to create our own Laws.

      2. For your info. Saunders though you are a number one cadet Kamuzu used his own money that particular time and not taxpayers money at all. Your sister Jane said all lawyers of the land denied because they knew well that time has gone to win any losing battle. Secondly, she disgraced all lawyers in the country by saying no lawyer could reach to the ranks of Kaphale. One thing you ought to know is that Kaphale and Jane are thieves also by allocating one billion kwacha to Kaphale if he wins the case.He only got half of it because he lost the case so you can see yourself how crooked Kaphale and Jane are on the soils of Malawi. Kaphale is the AG and Jane is a referee in the case. The Judges really gone to school by showing Kaphale red card. At first he was not supposed to represent MEC and more he stole money from MEC instead of just advising the referee which is MEC. Time comes MEC and Kaphale and her team will be jailed.

    2. So this Sibandebhanda was a ‘Lecture’ (lesson) not a ‘Lecturer’? And the ‘Lecture’ became a ghost ‘Dean of Law’ in Sasafilika. And the Malawian ghost ‘Dean of Law in Sasafilika’ is denying two Sasafilika people to do peace work in Nyasalande? What hypocricy!!!

  17. Even if they can bring Clive Stanbrook Q.C, he can’t win this case. The case was lost during the electoral process itself. The last nail in the coffin will be witnessed by some unknown lawyers from zenophobic nation!

  18. Let us be frank, we do not have credible Lawyers in Malawi. The only ones we have are those that are good at swindling their clients money. Even way back in MCP time where there was the famous case of the death of the Gadama and Chiwangas, did we not hire foreign Lawyers who did a good job whilst our Lawyers are sitting Phwii on their chairs. Don’t waste your time with our Malawian Lawyers who are good at losing cases. Even myself I cannot try these fraudulent Lawyers

    1. A Kaphale adzivomeleza kale “brutus fulmen”. Guru lachina Mbeta wonyenga “mbeta” kkkk

  20. Former Chief Justice Richard Banda was Chief Justice of Swaziland. There is nothing wrong with MEC hiring a lawyer from SOuth Africa. Well done Mhango and Kaukonde.

    1. Good/services/Jobs sourced externally uses local financial resources created an inbalance of trade or an economic advantage toward i.e South Africa against Malawi. Any country restrict importation of labour, goods, services which can be obtained locally as it is in the nations interests to let the money circulate within the country to develop the country. Malawian lawyers pay tax to Malawi government, foreign lawyer will not Pay As You Earn to Malawi government, and they will not use the money to support the local economy by investing locally infact they might buy a bottle of cocacola at the airport before they go whilst a local lawyer would use the money to pay fees to a school and buy bricks for his house, hence pumping the money back into the local economy. I am really sorry if this does not make sense then I am talking to the wrong person, my apologies. Sangwani

  21. Mhango and Kaukonde are right. Our laws permit us to use foreign labour. We have foreign people working in different fields and Malawians are working everywhere on the world.

  22. Let us lend our support to Mhango and Kaukonde. Vultures from HRDC, MCP and UTM are trying to harass them.

  23. MLS leadership is being victimised for speaking the truth. The CHakweras, Chilima, Kasambara, HRDC do not believe in justice.

    1. The leadership of MLS have put the society into a disrepute. They are highly and openly partisan. If your brain is working OK, you cannot have them run a society like that, unless you are a cadet

    1. Let them pack and go.When change wants to come it is unstoppable, and soons all the rabbits will be on the run

  25. Foolish lawyers led by Kasambara are trying to intimidate Mhango and Kaukonde. Muyaluka for your bias towards HRDC, MCP and UTM. Mhango and Kaukonde are HEROS.

    1. Let them pack and go. When change wants to come, it is unstoppable. Soon the rabbits will be on the run

  26. Let Mhango and Kaukonde alone. They were right to back the police for arresting HRDC leaders (Mtambo, Trapence and Sembeleka). Mhango and Kaukonde spoke the truth.

    1. Everything in Malawi is now political, lawyers, pastors, teachers. Malawi is fighting for its soul. If you are for Mhango, you are obviously a cadet.

  27. Foreign lawyers are welcome. Let them help with the election case which was determined by corrupt judges.

  28. Ma lawyer athu ndi apumbwa. Kumbukirani uja anamuuza bingu za constructive resignation. Amangonamizanako akakhala ku chanco kwaoko

  29. Kutmatu Ansaha anadyadi zambiri za Mutharika. Ma Lawyer a Jolozawo angobwera kudztiyira corona kuno. The result will be all the lawyers present during the argurments will test positive. Now South Africa has registered 17 confirmed cases- basopo.

  30. This not only sad development but scandal applied to many Malawians. Taxpayers money should not spent in this way.Recently others joined the court in Lilongwe that they are friend of the court while deceiving the Judges. It is very soulful to see people busy with politics instead of concentrating on your own work and up to writing a letter to the Chief Justice! This has indeed illustrated that there no laws in Malawi and there are no lawyers in the country. For instance how many lawyers have represented foreign countries and please advise us. Whoever is advising the same is not a Malawian and surely $800m is too much and yet MEC says they have no money. We cannot Understand what you call Laws of Malawi. Malawi Law Society does not really know their role and let us wait and see what the CJ says since MLS has already written him. Really degrading lawyers in the country by MEC.

    1. Don’t worry about the money. ConCourt lawyers said we should not worry about money being spent on democracy and justice. How much money have lawyers on the election case been paid? How much will a re-run cost. Possibly this foreign lawyer can rescue the money that could be spent on a useless poll.

  31. So you have brought south Africans to bring chaos in our country. We can solve our own problems. If a south African tells us how to progress in our Constitution, We will burn everything

  32. Tangonena kuti mukufuna mudye nawo ndalama. Tapangana za ‘pro bono’ zija kuti tidziwe kuti ndinu madolo.

  35. Majority of Malawian lawyers are a disgrace, very corrupt, thieving etc. Of course we also have honest ones but are very few.

  36. Nonsense. Foreign doctors, engineers and other professionals come Malawi to assist us in one way or the other, have we ever heard such baby cries? What’s so special with these good-for-nothing lawyers that are only reknown for womanising, backbiting, fraud, corruption and swindling client money? Kaphale represented MEC and you were all against him. MEC is at Liberty to hire lawyers of their choice because Concourt said MEC must not worry about costs for elections or footing the bills of petitioners except Mutharika’s (see the bias?) and it is complying. Let the tax payers pay this shit! Ndisamvenso zoti eeh akagulira mankhwala kuchipatala and rubish, mwayambano kukhala anzeru pano? SHIPITI!!!

  37. This Mhango is a useless motherfucker and very corrupt one. Who knows the laws of Malawi better than Malawian lawyers themselves? I don’t think any South African person would hire a Malawian lawyer because they don’t know South African laws. I think Mhango should be fired immediately, he is a fucker and an asshole too. Screw you Mhango you damn fucker. Masende ako motherfucker. You smell like a shit asshole!!!!!!!!!!!!

  39. Bravo our lawyers!!. Buy Malawi campaign more fire!!. Why anyapapi obwera????. Kwawoko mwanva kuti zikuyenda????. Abale athu akuphedwa xenophobia kwao konko inu nkumati kumeneko ndiye kwabwino. MLS and MEC ugaru bwanu!!!

  40. The Problem with the Lawyers in Malawi is that they are compromised on tribe and region,
    there are some very good Lawyers, but most of them dwell much on tribal and party lines and many are very corrupt, that is why many of the cases are rotting in the Courts. Imagine poor peoples cases are piling up without Judges who are Lawyers having a concious to offload them. Being loud mouthed does not mean you are a good Lawyer, but hard work and winning cases on merit, not to allow to be influenced or ganging up against a certain tribe. I dont think it is correct to demand the resignation of the President of the Malawi Law Society and his Assistants. Malawi is an open society where many Qualified people come to do Consultancy as Accountants and Auditors, Civil Works, Building Contractors, Reporters and many other fields yet we have equally qualified Accountants,Engineers, Civil Engineers and they dont reject to it, remember during the time of President Sata in Zambia Our own Lawyer Judge Chikopa was invited to Zambia to sit on a very sensitive case there
    and during the time of Dr Banda and Chakuamba, Clive Stambrok was also invited to help in the Mwanza murder case. I think Malawian Lawyers have now turned to be Politicians hiding in gowns. Unfortunately there is a Lawyer who misled Dr Joyce Banda the former President into a mess and cashgate was convicted and now on the loose, is ill advising and behind all Legal sicknesses we are experiencing and I believe he also took part in the Con Court proceedings clandestinely from his writings on FB one can decipher information being used by many in the Legal fraternity. Lets put Jelousies aside and let the Government agencies choose whom they want to work with and more over there is no rule in Malawi to bar professionals to come and practice in the Country. Sectiom 40 d the Law Society of Malawi President and his subordinates have a Constitutional right to belong to a Party and make their Political Choices as any other Lawyer working for the opposition, thats all what Democracy is all about.

  41. desperation at its best and waste of tax payers money. all this basi kufuna kuti nkhalamba ya zaka 90 ikhalebe pampando pamene majority ikuti sikumufuna. nyasalande sadzathekanso!!!!!!!!!!

    1. It is not a waste. We have been told that democracy and justice cost money. DO NOT compalin. THe election case has cost so much already.

  42. K600 million must be for organizing the re-election process not funding DSA for SA lawyers. MEC’s leadership is full of losers and cowards.

    1. No, an allocation for election was made already. Our judges already opined that there is a cost to democracy and justice. Musalire a MCP, UTM and HRDC including ma lawyer a fake aku Malawi mukuliranu.

  43. Dpp supporters-can’t you for once be human beings and support what’s right than marching for nosense? Only yesterday you were being fed by Bushiri yet your dpp government is spending millions on a useless appeal? Who doesn’t know that udf and dpp have been manipulating elections since 2004? Our politicians knows how stupid malawians are; that’s why they take away everything from us for themselves and silence YOU with a loaf bread. So if Mtambo and his company say let’s go and close the state house so these useless leaders of YOURS must use that 600million to buy maize for the poor then you say arrest them? STUPID MALAWIANS !!!

  44. MBUZI WAMUNTHU GALU WACHABE BURTON NDI BROTHER WAKE CHARLES STUPID NORTHERNERS IDIOTS DPP MERCANARIES LET THEM GET OUT OF THE MLS

  48. We no longer trust this organization led Burton Mhango.He is too partisan and he does not think about where our country is heading to.As long as he has been given money to defend the evil things to him is dust and done.With such kind of people it will be hard to progress in our country.

  49. Get rid of these ana a bakha. They are tarnishing the society’s image. It’s become a useless society and a laughing stock. Clearly partisan unlike the Women’s Law Society.

  50. But you wanted him to be favouring MCP and UTM, then you would be clapping hands. Interesting Kwambiri

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