Mzikamanda tipped to be Malawi’s new chief justice

Justice Renzine Mzikamanda of the Supreme Court of Appeal is being tipped to be the next head of the Judiciary as Chief Justice as government is set to let Chief Justice Andrew Nyirenda proceed to leave pending retirement.

Nyirenda had accumulated more leave days than the remainder of his working days until his retirement, due in December 2021.

Minister of Information and Civic Education Mark Botomani said on Tuesday that the Chief Justice has accumulated 572 leave days and must proceed to leave.

He said the Public Service Conditions for Judicial Officers do not provide for buying off or commutation of leave days, citing Section 12 (2b) of the Judiciary Conditions of Services that says  “the Judicial officer may opt to carry forward accumulated leave days towards retirement.”

The government spokesman said in a statement that the Chief Justice will not be the  first judicial officer to proceed on leave pending retirement citing former chief justices Lovemore Munlo and Anastansia Msosa.

“It is common for justices to proceed on leave pending retirement in Malawi,” Minister of Information said in the statement.

He said Chief Justice Nyirenda should enjoy his leave days with his family “ while still enjoying full benefits of his office.”

The second most senior justice in the country, Edward Twea, was also given notice to leave his post ahead of his retirement next year.

“Justice Renzine Mzikamanda  would be the one likely to carry the mantle of leadership of the Judiciary,” a source in the Judiciary told Nyasa Times.

Mzikamanda, a Chewa by tribe from Lilongwe district,  was appointed Judge of the High Court in 1997 after serving for many years in the Magistrate Court.

He was among the judges in the Supreme Court of Appeal who upheld the ruling of the Constitutional Court that  annulled last year’s elections, which saw a narrow win for incumbent president Peter Mutharika.

Mzikamanda was formerly head of the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) and known for his human rights judicial activism. Mzikamanda also chaired the Malawi Law Commission.