President Lazarus Chakwera has called upon the Judiciary to expedite delivery of justice to the public as one way of averting mob justice which has become a norm in the country’s social order.

The President made the sentiments on Saturday at the swearing in ceremony of newly-appointed Chief Justice (CJ) of the Republic of Malawi, His Lordship Justice Rizine Robert Mzikamanda JA, SC and seven other Judges of the High Court.

Mzikamanda, the ninth CJ in the history of Malawi, was appointed in January and confirmed by Parliament in March, the same month the other seven judges were also appointed.

In his congratulatory remarks, President Chakwera said Malawi must strive to be a just nation on top of being orderly, developed and prosperous.

“I am greatly concerned that there is a spirit of mob justice threatening to turn this country into a lawless one. Expressions of mob justice are a sign that the Malawian people feel frustrated by the slowness, unfairness, and inefficiency of the justice system, which includes both the way cases are investigated, tried, and disposed of,” said President Chakwera while noting that the appointment of new judges is one way of reversing this situation.

Of late, there have been spates of mob justice across the country where communities seem to have lost hope in the law enforcement and judicial systems.  

The President was, however, quick to condemn the vice saying it defeats the cause of justice.

He further discouraged all other forms of mob justice that are meted through word on the street on within the digital space.  

“It (mob justice) is also evidenced by the many occasions on which Malawians either take to the streets or to media platforms to pronounce judgments and punishments that should be exacted on individuals on the basis of a rumour or an allegation made by someone who is not an investigator of crimes.”

All the appointees were first recommended by the Judicial Service Commission after which their names were submitted to President Chakwera for formal appointment.

The other judges are sworn in on the day are Gladys Assima Gondwe, Chimbizgani Chase Matapa Kacheche, Dick Sankhulani, Patrick Chilunga Chirwa, Jean Mthiko Kayira, Bruno Kalemba and Gloria Alinafe Namonde.  

Following the recent appointments, the number of High Court judges stands at 43.