Law Society: President Must Name New VP by June 19 to Uphold Constitution
"As such, it is expected that by and not later than 19th June 2024, President Lazarus Chakwera should have appointed a person to replace the late Right Honourable Dr. Saulos Klaus Chilima," said MLS.
LILONGWE, Malawi - The Malawi Law Society has stated that President Lazarus Chakwera must appoint a new vice president by June 19 to uphold the constitution after Saulos Chilima died in a plane crash on June 10, writes Winston Mwale.
According to Section 84(2) of the constitution, the president is required to fill the vacancy in the vice president's office within seven days.
In a press statement titled "Plane Crash Involving State Vice President and Need to Uphold the Constitutional Order in the Management of the Tragedy," the society cited its mandate "to protect matters of public interest touching, ancillary or incidental to law."
"The death of a serving Vice President...triggers a legal obligation upon all authorities...to pursue the truth and offer the public a clear, timely and trustworthy sense of direction with objective and dependable answers to the many questions arising out of the 10th June 2024 tragedy," the statement said.
It advised that under Sections 84 and 88, read with the General Interpretation Act, Chakwera "is required to appoint a replacement Vice President within 7 days after the death of the Vice President" excluding Sundays and holidays.
"As such, it is expected that by and not later than 19th June 2024, President Lazarus Chakwera should have appointed a person to replace the late Right Honourable Dr. Saulos Klaus Chilima," chairman Patrick Gray Mpaka stated.
The society called on all parties "to uphold the constitutional framework and the rule of law" under the constitution, defence act, aviation act and other relevant laws in managing the tragedy transparently.