Rizine R. Mzikamanda, SC

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Honourable Justice Rizine Mzikamanda, SC was appointed the 10th Chief Justice of the Republic of Malawi on 7th January 2022. As required by the Constitution of the Republic of Malawi, he was subjected to confirmation by the National Assembly where for the first time, a Chief Justice got a unanimous vote of confirmation beyond the minimum requirement of a two-thirds majority vote in the Malawi National Assembly. Before his appointment to the position of Chief Justice, he had been a Justice of the Supreme Court of Appeal from May 2012 and Judge for the High Court of Malawi from 1997.

He obtained his Bachelors of Laws (LLB Honours) from the University of Malawi (1983) and received his Masters of Laws (LLM) from the University of Hull, England (1992). He has certificates in Judicial Administration; Leadership; Judicial Control and Corruption and is a Humphrey Hubert Fellow.

His Lordship Rizine R. Mzikamanda, SC launched his career in the Malawi Judiciary in 1983 as Resident Magistrate and rose to Principal Resident Magistrate, Chief Resident Magistrate, Deputy Registrar and later Senior Deputy Registrar of the High Court and Supreme Court of Appeal. He was appointed Judge of High Court in 1997 and served as Judge in Charge for Mzuzu Registry before he proceeded to head Lilongwe Registry. He was appointed Justice of Appeal in 2012.

He has served the Judiciary for the past four decades with extraordinary distinction, amazing intellectual curiosity and development consciousness which saw him head the Training Committee and Judiciary Development Program for many years. He is revered as a distinguished administrator with outstanding leadership abilities and vision throughout the judiciary ranks and outside.

In addition to his judicial duties, he was nominated as Alternative Judge for the United Nations Special Tribunal to try Charles Taylor, former President of Liberia. He has served as Director-General for the Malawi Anti-Corruption Bureau; Secretary for Commission of Enquiry for Mwanza Accident for Malawi Ministers; Chairperson for Malawi Judiciary Development Programme; Chairperson for Training Committee, Conditions of Service Committee, Budget, Audit, and Finance Committee among many other portfolios.

He has authored numerous articles and publications and made prominent presentations at local and international legal forums. He is a Christian and a family man married to his wife, Mary, with whom he has six children (three daughters and three sons).