The ceremony to confer the honour of Senior Counsel to selected legal practitioners, including Attorney General Thabo Chakaka Nyirenda, slated for today has been shifted to unknown day.
The development follows a protest from the Malawi Law Society (MLS) claiming that Chakaka Nyirenda’s honour did not follow due processes.
MLS President, Patrick Mpaka observed that the appointments required a formal process and might have flouted some laws governing the Legal Education and legal practitioners Act of 2018.
Mpaka observed that the number of legal practitioners to be conferred the honour of SC was more than 3, which is against the prescription provided in sections 52 and 54 of the Act.
The MLS has also asked the office of the Solicitor General and Secretary for Justice to provide clarification on the basis for conferring the AG status of SC citing that his appointment on the rank is not a result of his service in the office of AG for more than 2 years but on a basis of an application he made on 13 July, 2022.
However, Mpaka says, according to records, Nyirenda has not served at the bar for 15 years as he was admitted to the bar on 22nd July 2008.
Following this protest, government has called off the function which was scheduled to be presided over by President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera at Kamuzu Palace today.
Ministry of Justice spokesperson Frank Namangale says this is “to give room for Malawi Law Society (MLS) and its committee to reconsider its recommendation”.
Faceofmalawi will keep you updated on the matter.
