A Justice and Accountability Survey conducted by the National Statistics Office (NSO), has revealed growing public doubt over the application of the Rule of Law in Malawi.
According to the survey, a significant number of citizens believe that those in power are not being held accountable to the same legal standards as the general public.
The findings revealed that only about 10 percent of Malawians believe public authorities consistently follow the law, while 39.6 percent say leaders rarely respect legal frameworks.
This has fuelled perceptions of selective justice in government entities.
According to George Chaima, a political analyst, speaking to Malawi 24, the findings are welcome as they reveal ârecklessness and selective application of the lawâ, particularly among those who hold power and are connected to specific individuals.
He argued that some leaders influence or initiate laws that benefit their personal and political interests, instead of serving national welfare.
âThe Rule of Law is meant to provide guidance, order and fairness. But what citizens are observing is that those entrusted to uphold the law are the first to neglect it, especially when it involves corruption or those in higher positions,â Chaima said.
He added that while ordinary citizens face legal consequences for offences, some government officials might not be held accountable or use such opportunities to grow wealthier, and deepening public frustration which undermines public trust and weakens countries economic growth.
âThe Laws are not applied equally which is the biggest problem as citizens are not seeing the law acting as the main driver of accountability.
He stressed that those entrusted with enforcing the law must be questioned and held accountable, in order to make our Laws drivers of our governance.
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Read Full Article on Malawi 24
