Malawi’s first female Associate Professor of Law encourages judiciary to serve interests of people
The first female Associate Professor of Law at Chancellor College – a constituent of the University of Malawi – Ngeyi Kanyongolo has encouraged lawyers in the country to always stick to their ethics and serve the interest of Malawians instead of few individuals with personal agenda’s.
Kanyongolo said this few days ago after lawyers staged peaceful much demonstrations against governments decision to send the Chief Justice Andrew Nyirenda to a forced leave pending retirement.
“As lawyers we should not serve interests of few individuals but always strive to serve Malawians,” Kanyongolo told a local radio.
Commenting on Nyirenda’s forced leave, Nyirenda said it is illegal for government to intrude on judicial matters.
She therefore reminded the Peter Mutharika administration that there are three arms of government and that there must always be ‘separation of powers’.
Kanyongolo said all the three sections need to move together and warned that when one is missing, the whole system may collapse.
She therefore revealed that Chief Justice Nyirenda is supposed to leave office in December 2021.
“His contract expires on December 2021 that is when he will turn 65 [retirement age] so it is up to him to chose if he wants to go on leave or not because he has resting days,” said Kanyongolo.
Lawyers hold peaceful march demonstrations on Thursday protesting executive arm of governments interference on judicial operations.
Ngeyi joined Chanclelor College under the Bachelor of Education programme in 1987.
After her first year, she decided to apply for law. She got the credit grade, passed the interviews and joined the Faculty of Law.
Ngeyi graduated in 1991 and worked in a number of places, including a law firm and an NGO before joining the University of Malawi (Unima)as a law lecturer in 2000.
She once served as president of Women Lawyers Society (WLS).
Her husband Edge Kanyongolo is also a law expert and professor at the same Chancellor College.
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