Justice Anastasia Msosa, SC, is Malawi’s new Chief Justice and the first woman to be appointed to the head of the judiciary in that country after Members of Parliament unanimously confirmed her appointment on Friday by 117 votes out for the 118 members present (one abstained).

Members of Parliament praised Anastasia Msosa, who also becomes the first female judge both at the High Court and Supreme Court of Appeals in Malawi, and party representatives commended the President Dr Joyce Banda for the appointment.

FIRS FEMALE CHIEF JUSTICE IS A WOMAN OF INTEGRITY

Msosa, a 63 year old married mother and senior legal practitioner received a Bachelors in Law from the University of Malawi in 1975. She also served as chairperson of Malawi’s Election Commission and was described by parliamentarians described as a woman of integrity, qualified, sober minded, objective in her pursuits and full of contemporary legal knowledge.

Minister of Justice Ralph Kasambara, in moving the motion, said: “Justice Msosa has risen from the ranks as a state advocate in the civil service, to the chief legal officer in the legal aid department. She was appointed legislator general, judge in the high court, promoted as judge in the Supreme Court and honoured as Senior Counsel in 1997.

“All in all, she has exhausted all positions in the legal profession and in the process she has gained respect and recognition in Malawi and abroad. She is the most fitting person to occupy the highest position of Chief justice.”