Suzi-Banda re-elected Malawi Law Society president unopposed
Malawian lawyers have yet again entrusted youthful private practice lawyer John Suzi-Banda with the responsibility of overseeing the affairs of the Malawi Law Society (MLS).
He was re-elected unopposed for another one-year term during the society’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) held in the resort town of Mangochi also attended by, among others, Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Samuel Tembenu, Attorney General Kalekeni Kaphale.
Also elected unopposed during the society’s elections were Mwiza Nkhata, a prominent law lecturer at University of Malawi’s Chancellor College as vice-president and secretary Khumbo Soko.
However Felister Jumbe, a lawyer with Malawi Housing Cooperation (MHC) had to defeat Gabriel Kambale to take custody of the society’s purse as former treasurer Chimwemwe Ngondoma did not seek re-election.
Committee members who have been roped in are Barton Mhango, Paula Caetano and Atiji Phiri.
The lawyers body held their AGM under the theme ‘Regulation of financial institutions and protection of consumers of financial services”.
Malawi Vice President Dr Saulos Chilima in his key note address when he opened the conference said theme has come at “a very crucial time as the government of Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika is implementing various reforms, including those on financial regulation.”
He said: “Financial regulation and the protection of consumers of financial services is a very important element of the economy. Therefore, it is befitting that this AGM will provide an opportunity to deliberate emerging financial challenges rocking our country.”
According to Chilima, under the current legal arrangement, financial institutions which exploit consumers should be held accountable.
He said a financial institution has an obligation to tell the borrower what their rights and obligations are in any credit arrangement.
“I urge you, therefore, as the Malawi Law Society to raise awareness through the mass media so that consumers of financial institutions are aware of the new arrangements that have been put in place to protect them,” he said.
In his remarks , Justice Minister Tembenu said people who have little knowledge about legal, economic and social issues, to restrain from commenting on issues, a point which was also raised by Chilima.
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How much knowledge did you Mr VP have on disaster preparedness gain at airtel and Carlsberg since u r in charge of that. Anyone can comment on anything. It’s a free world. Then tell your president who spent too much time in diaspora to stop making comments about Malawians as well coz he has little knowledge of what life is really like for the common Malawian.
May you kindly help us to know the meaning of court contempt? We are asking this because a certain chief sold the land to over twenty people here in Mzuzu Area 1B. The church bought the land in 2007. And eventually all procedures has been taken. And in January, 2014. There was court injunction. But unfortunately The defendants disregard the court order. They are still building, continue selling the same land to different people. And the defendants start paying seventy Thousand kwacha in order to proceed working or doing court contempt but whenever giving report to our lawyer they always… Read more »
…both Chilima and Tembenu are 100% wrong in holding the view that people who are not qualified as Economists and lawyers should not comments on economics and law matters respectively. In a free democratic society freedom of expression, speech and thinking are enshrined in the Constitution. Who are you Chilima and Tembenu to force us shut our mouths???
PLSE VP, YOU NEED TO GUARD YOUR TONGUE. PEOPLE SHOULD DISTINGUISH YOUR STATEMENTS AND THOSE COMING FROM CHARLES MCHACHA.
What is Malawi Law Society doing about Lawyer Patron Ndhlovu who has issues with alot of clients compesations our complaints against him are taking for ever.Is there justice?Does MLS assist victimised clients by its members?
Democracy is about majority rule. Majority of Malawians were not privillaged to attain high education to get the good knowledge in politics, economics and legal matters as can be perceived by the few learned. Why should the majority be excluded in participating in social economic issues affecting their daily lives? You mean only learned doctors and professors who in most cases have distant touch with the realities and the suffering of the rural common man be the only ones commenting on legal and economic matters affecting the poor on behalf of the poor? The VP, your are such a big… Read more »