MHRC Inquiry on Justice Access

Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC) has embarked on a series of public inquiries to gather testimonies for assessing challenges people face in accessing justice and establish inefficiencies in the country’s judicial system.

Speaking in Mzimba during an inquiry, MHRC Commissioner, Tereza Ndanga, said the investigation was prompted by mounting public concerns on justice-related issues.

Ndanga said in October 2024, they noticed an influx of complaints on social media regarding access to justice, corruption in the judiciary and delays in delivering justice.

According to Ndanga they also received a letter from Parliament requesting an investigation into those concerns.

She cited key challenges including long distances to courts, high legal fees and prolonged adjournments.

The MHRC Commissioner said those factors, disproportionately affect rural communities and those who cannot afford legal representation.

She stated that the commission will consolidate findings from all inquiry sessions and submit recommendations to judiciary for appropriate actions.

Speaking on behalf of Paramount Chief M’mbelwa, Traditional Authority Kampingo Sibande, echoed the concerns adding that geographic and systemic inefficiencies contribute to delayed justice.

He said many cases remain unresolved because courts are located far from communities, transport costs are high, waiting time, overwhelming workload for magistrates leads to case backlogs discourage people from pursuing justice.