Malawi Lawyer turns down appointment as Minister of Justice

MZUZU, Malawi

In an unnatural twist of events, Mordecai Msiska has turned down a ministerial position offered to him by the Malawi’s new President, Lazarus Chakwera.

On Monday, June 29, 2020, Malawi leader announced maiden cabinet including, Mordecai Msiska, who was Chakwera’s lead counsel in the 2019 Presidential Election case as a Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs.

But barely a day after the appointment, Msiska has thrown back the offer arguing there are other better young Malawian lawyers who could be considered for the position and that he has other fish to fry.

“Well, it is true that I advised that I could not take up the appointment for personal reasons. These personal reasons have to do with just a matter of certain precedents and obligations that I have. I have obligations to my members of staff, for instance, in the law firm that I run and I could not walk away from those obligations.

“And importantly, I did feel that having been lead counsel in the elections case, acting as a lead counsel for the President, my getting into the administration, and particularly the ministry of justice would unduly affect the processes that government system has to address,” said the senior counsel.

While commenting on the development, University of Livingstonia based political commentator, George Allan Phiri, applauded Msiska, saying the gesture smacks of a personality who considers the future of the young people in the country.

“The way I understand and know Honourable Mordecai Msiska after the Constitutional Court ruling, he said the owners of the court’s victory were the young people. And because he said that, my understanding is that he wants the position to go to the young people; not that he cannot perform in that position, but that the position should go the more able and younger people who can perform better in that position,” Phiri said.

President Chakwera appointed Mordecai Msiska as a minister beside the Vice President, Dr Saulos Chilima, Alex Mlusu and Richard Chimwendo Banda who have been appointed as Minister of Economic Development and Public Sector Reforms, Minister of Finance and Minister of Homeland Security, respectively.