Malawi’s Chief Justice, Honourable Rizine Robert Mzikamanda, SC, has been elected Chairperson of the Southern and Eastern Africa Chief Justices’ Forum (SEACJF), marking another milestone for Malawi’s judiciary on the regional stage. The election took place during the Forum’s Annual General Meeting held in Gaborone, Botswana, where judicial leaders from 16 countries convened to discuss pressing issues around justice and governance.
In his new role, Chief Justice Mzikamanda will head the Forum’s Management Committee — its top decision-making body — tasked with steering the organisation’s agenda and ensuring that its goals of promoting judicial independence, cooperation, and rule of law are advanced across the region. He succeeds Honourable Justice Bheki Maphalala, Chief Justice of Eswatini.
Accepting the position, Justice Mzikamanda said he was “deeply honoured” by the confidence his peers had placed in him. He pledged to build on the Forum’s achievements and to work towards “greater regional solidarity, stronger courts, and more independent judiciaries that can stand as guardians of democracy.”
This year’s gathering, themed “Judicial Independence and Accountability in Safeguarding the Rule of Law,” brought together chief justices, senior judges, and legal experts from across Southern and Eastern Africa. Botswana’s President, Advocate Duma Gideon Boko, delivered the keynote address, calling on African judiciaries to “safeguard their autonomy” and reminding delegates that “the strength of a democracy rests on the courage of its courts.”
Founded in 2003, the SEACJF serves as a vital platform for collaboration among the region’s judiciaries — fostering the exchange of ideas, best practices, and advocacy on issues of judicial reform and access to justice.
With Chief Justice Mzikamanda at its helm, the Forum is expected to continue championing judicial integrity and institutional resilience — principles that have become increasingly important in an era of growing political pressure and public demand for transparency.
Malawi’s delegation, led by Mzikamanda, attended the conference from 8 to 11 October 2025. His election signals a renewed vote of confidence in Malawi’s judiciary and its growing influence within Africa’s regional legal community.
