Malawi judges on shortlist of nominees for Chatham House Prize 2020

July 21, 2020 Nyasa Times Reporter 65 Comments

The five judges of the High  Court who were sitting as a Constitutional Court that overturned last year’s ‘Tipp-Ex election’ in Malawi and ordering a fresh elections which later turned out to oust former president Peter Mutharika in power,  have been  shortlisted  by UK think-thank  Chatham House among three nominees for the 2020 Chatham House Prize.

Judges who overturned last year’s ‘Tipp-Ex election’ in Malawi gets international recognitio with Chatham House shortlisting them for 2020 Prize

The Chatham House Prize is presented to the person, persons or organization deemed by members of Chatham House to have made the most significant contribution to the improvement of international relations in the previous year.

The selection process is independent, democratic and draws on the deep knowledge of Chatham House’s research teams, making the Prize a distinctive and unique award in the field of international affairs.

According to a letter to the Malawi judges addressed to Healy Potani the judge president of the Constitution Court which annulled 2019 votes signed by director of Chatham House

Dr Robin Niblett, the Council of Chatham House has included on the shortlist of three nominees for the 2020 Chatham House Prize the five Malawi judges.

“The bravery shown by you and your fellow Honourable Justices Ivy Kamanga, Redson Kapindu, Dingiswayo Madise and Michael Tembo in protecting the constitutional process has made a strong impression on our research programmes and our three presidents,” reads the letter in part.

Since its establishment in 1920, Chatham House has been a world-leading centre for research and analysis of international affairs.

The first Chatham House prize was won by Victor Yuschenko, President of the Ukraine.

Since then winners have included Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, President of Brazil; Joaquim Chissano, President of Mozambique; and John Kufuor, President of Ghana.

“Once again, our congratulations on this nomination which recognizes the very significant contribution that we believe you have made to improve the state of international relations this past year,” the Chatham director writes Potani.

The award is presented on behalf of the institute’s patron, Her Majesty the Queen, representing the non-partisan and authoritative character of the Prize.

In delivering the landmark ruling on February 3, Justice Healey Potani said: “It is almost impossible to have an election free of irregularities. However, in the present matter our finding is that the anomalies and irregularities have been so widespread, systematic and grave such that the integrity of the result was seriously compromised, and can’t be trusted as the will of voters of the May 21, 2019 election.”

In a landmark ruling for the country, the court described the conduct of the electoral commission as “very lacking and demonstrated incompetence.”

Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :
Follow us in Twitter

65 replies on “Malawi judges on shortlist of nominees for Chatham House Prize 2020”

  2. Congratulations to the Big 5, Our High Court judges, the Pride of Malawi, and Africa at large.

    You have done us all proud, and certainly deserves a medal.

    You stood on the ‘rare’ truth, and nothing else but for the truth.
    You surpassed all the monetary temptations, and remarkably fought for what you believed was right, and according to the constitution of Malawi, for the betterment of the poor masses.

    It is a rare element in African judiciary, and you have been exceptional, and excemplary.

    That is the very same reason why you are being recognised and applauded.

    Congratulations once again our brave High Court judges!

    2. Win what in your version? Kikkkkkk can’t you see that you are out of Gafamenti? Is this not a win? Kikkkkkkk!

    4. Aaaa Cadet Cadet vuto siiweyo but what is inside you.God is not you.Sukumvetsa pati kut Boma la DPP was buried on 23th June 2020?:kumwamba kukakana kwakana basi.Asiyen ma judge atenge ma award they them.Osat zanu za Jane Ansah zoiononga chilungamo pitanu ku Ndata kwa Mbuyewanu uko

  4. The judges did not have to be brave
    They were free
    They were never threatened by anybody
    Let us hope our new government will also let people be free

    1. They were not free. They were under pressure from losing DPP who tempted them with bribes worth billions of MK. It took their bravery to stick to justice. Nyekhwe is rral

  5. These judges they deserve that award, Malawians are at peace now not zatipex zija.All the best our judges,we love you.Anthu ena amafuna Kut azilamulira ndi mavotes a tippex.Tonse got 58.5% mmalo mwa 55% which means malawians wanted change.We got the Change we wanted.Dpp out, macadet akulirabe.More nyekhwe mbava za DPP.Masaporters adpp awoneko zina nanga kumangowanamiza.Chichokereni DPP zabedwa zingati ndalama zaboma,zero.Magalimoto aboma ndi aja mbava zimawataya mumusewu.I love change , change is good,awanso akuyendesa panowa akamaba tiziwanso tidzawachonsanso.

  6. The award shortlisting process has to be there, even Trump as also shortlisted for the Noble prize but there was no way he could win it because of his character. These judges dont deserve this award because they were used to favour the opposition, there is nothing really that may warrant them to win. Stupid judges and Laz is busy awarding them for their biased judgement on the case. Trust me, even those out there know the truth and it shall always prevail. That was the worst judgement in Malawi by these judges with their brains full of water.

    1. Kumeneko ndiye kulira kwa eni mbumba!🤣😪😫😭😰😹🙊

      A point of correction: Donald Trump was never shortlisted for the Nobel prize. It was Trump himself who told his crazy MAGA supporters at a rally that he himself should have gotten the prize.

    2. Chatham House is a UK based think-tank and is the body that has nominated them for an award. There is nothing to do with Laz awarding the charges.

    4. Who shortlisted Trump? He tried and failed to bribe world leaders (ie. Japanese PM) to nominate him.

  7. Awarding these judicial-coup judges? What for? What more does the world learn from these corrupt Malawi judges apart from learning how courts are used for stealing victory from legitimate election winners? To hell with your awards you white hypocritic europeans (yes with small e).

    2. Pedegu, chimutu chofoila chingaganize za nzeru? Thomu akuayankhatu milandu pofuna kugula Chilungamo chomwecho! Basi tizingova zainu aLwomwe Pano? Mwagwa nayobe! Munali andani ache Daniel Phiri! Pakanapanda Pedegu mzako Bakili Alison Muluzi? Ndiye pano muiwaletu zodzalamulaso Malawi! Ngakhale Alison Muluzi akudziwaso kuti basi, Dziko lapatsidwaso kwa eni ake a Malawi. Mamina!

  8. Some thieves get s0 lucky to the extent that they get shortlisted for awards. These judges are competing with MPICO in terms of property portfolios, can ACB also do a land search and see how much these judges hold? Its a shocker

    1. DPP cadet can not be happy with this award. This is obvious. That’s your problem. But meaning Malawians salute these judges and they deserve the award.

    2. Sanje siumuna,inuso khalani Judge kuti mukhale a chuma! Koma ulesi ndi kuba basi! Kugona ndi tiana kupeleka zimimba basi.Gondolosi!

  9. Even here at home let us also award something to these people, True people of God and surely we ought to do something because they represented all opposition Malawians. Akulu aja Kuba kwambiri kaya kwa America uko M’makhala nawonso bwanji m’kamwa mopanda mano muja.

  10. I dont know if any client of Kaphale will yield anything at the court, Chattam House has shamed the boy and lets about the money he got from mec.

  11. Proud of the judges, and each and every person that played a role in liberating the country, and continue to play very significant roles. (That includes you online soldiers for keeping it real) Thankful to all.

  12. Good job guys, tinali ndani kupanda inuyo? kutichotsa mmasautso oopsa omwe tinali nao, mkamwa mwa pitala

  13. Akatakwe pa legal science. Palije pa continent ya Africa. They tackled the matters head on without ever wishing to have been in another generation free of the current burdens. History was on their shoulders they never buried their heads in the sand thinking they’re dodging the bullet and demands of their office. They never snapped the tenuous thread of hopes to which all Malawians were clinging.
    Unable to find the best remarks to complement on the Chatham prize we also wholeheartedly compliment your work. You’re the luminaries in the legal galaxy across the globe.

  17. From a reliable source, one of those to be the recipient of the prize will be Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika. He has been recognised for creating a peaciful environment that enabled the courts to have worked on the election case without any threat. They compared him to leaders like Mugabe, Kabira, Museveni, Kagame etc who never allowed such an environment to exist when their countries were faced in similar election cases.

    1. And again it should also go to Thomu who was sent by the same your Peter to bribe the Judges who refused big time to sell the same to Mafias! Get lost!

  18. Our Esteemed Malawian Judges, congrants for being patriotic for your only own country called Malawi you have rescued 19,000,000 Malawian people from the devil.

  20. Fantastic news and congrats to our BRAVE and INDEPENDENT judiciary for putting Malawi on the world map for good reasons this time, and not just poverty. Paja nkhalamba inkati chani? the world was laughing at us (our judiciary). I wonder who the world is launching at now.

    1. And our former president APM is a strong candidate for a Mo Ibrahim Foundations’ Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership. He let the May 2019 election presidential result violet protests go ahead without state physical hindrance, the constitutional and supreme courts were well funded to hear the case to conclusion, he accepted the constitutional and supreme courts’ judgement, he funded the fresh election and accepted the results without resistance and is now in retirement with little or no involvement at all in politics.
      I dont think of any other former president who retired this year with such a fantastic democratic record. It is a straight win!

      1. He knew that he is useless and nothing and had no Power! Chakwera and Chilima including the whole I mean the whole Malawi akanamuchita kanyenya Peter wakoyo! Kikkkkkk! Malawi is for Malawians not for your idiot Peter, zipitani ku Ndata

  24. Well deserved our esteemed Judges!–while shameless Mutharika was busy trampling upon the solemn oath he took ‘to protect and defend the Constitution’,you, our esteemed Judges, were indeed reverentially exercising your ‘original jurisdiction to review any law or action or decision of Govt for conformity with the Constitution’! All Malawi Patriots will forever be indebted to you!!!

    6. Who asked you to comment ?
      You are a complete nonsense because because you can’t see the good in the said judges.
      Please give us a break !

    7. I agree. Complete rubbish. APM won under first past the post which is what is in the constitution. In the re-run he got similar result. The other side realised they had made a mistake not to combine and instead of waiting for 5 yrs they cooked up excuses for a re-run facilitated by judicial activism based on regionalism.

Comments are closed.