Media bodies and a lawyer have hailed Parliament for outlawing some sedition laws, saying the move is the right step towards respecting individual freedoms and will help strengthen the country’s democracy.

Their reactions come after Parliament on Monday this week passed the Penal Code (Amendment) Bill which sought to effect miscellaneous amendments to the Penal Code to decriminalise sedition and other related offences, enhance the legal framework for terrorism, sexual offences against children and persons with mental disabilities as well as money laundering.

The consequential amendments have also affected the age of a child following the amendment to Section 23 of the Constitution which redefined a child as a person under the age of 18.

Ndanga: Parliament needs to
be applauded

Reacting to the development, human rights lawyer Justin Dzonzi yesterday said in an interview that if sedition laws were to be enforced, it would not be possible for opposition parties to campaign at all.

He said: “The law made it a criminal offence to point out the failures of the President or government.”

On the delays to repeal sedition laws, Dzonzi, who is also executive director of Justice Link, said there was no commitment from the previous regimes to completely free Malawians.

Media Council of Malawi (MCM) executive director Moses Kaufa observed in a separate interview that there is more to be done on the legal framework of the country because most laws are in conflict with the freedoms and rights of Malawians.

Media Institute for Southern Africa (Misa) Malawi Chapter chairperson Teresa Ndanga echoed Kaufa’s sentiments, saying government needs to be applauded for having listened to concerned voices including the media on the need to repeal sedition laws.

She said Misa Malawi engagements with various government offices, including that of the Attorney General (AG) and Ministry of Information have yielded results.

Said Ndanga: “It is our sincere hope that the administration will implement policies and enforce laws that intend to grow the sector and let freedoms thrive and not kill them.”

Since the dawn of democracy through a 1993 referendum, various groups have lobbied for the removal of sedition laws and others dubbed “bad laws”.

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