MHRC commissioners wind up work

Commissioners for the Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC) on Wednesday wound up their work after serving their three-year term.

 In a statement, MHRC outgoing chairperson John Kapito said there are still many human rights challenges the country needs to address.

 

“The commission observes that during its tenure of office, the human rights and governance sector in general was not spared from challenges which hampered the effective discharge of MHRC’s mandate,” said Kapito.

 

He said some of the remaining challenges include police’s misuse of firearms, poor prison conditions in the country and unmet needs in areas of education and health, among others.

 

Kapito said, among others, the outgoing commissioners have helped reposition MHRC as an independent national human rights institution and develop its 2011 to 2015 strategic plan.

 

“Some of the achievements include pro-active investigation of cases of national interest that hinged on human rights, notable ones being the July 20 demonstrations, the death of Malawi Polytechnic student Robert Chasowa and issue of environmental pollution at Njuli Quarry in Chiradzulu,” he said.