The All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC) has publicly commended lawyer Alexious Kamangila for his courageous role in exposing corruption within Malawi’s judiciary. The Conference is urging the Malawi government to protect corruption whistle-blowers including Kamangila.
Kamangila had accused High Court Judge Kenan Manda and other judiciary members of corruption, sparking widespread concern and debate.
As the defamation case against Kamangila entered mediation on Wednesday, February 12, 2025, Reverend Baxton Maulidi, AACC’s Economic Justice & Accountability Champion, emphasized that whistle-blowers should be protected from the outset, rather than being taken to court.
“Kamangila was supposed to be protected right from the beginning in whatever way as a whistle-blower on corruption,” Maulidi told the local media. “Whistle-blowers are not supposed to be taken to courts because the government is supposed to stand with them to expose issues of corruption.”
He argued that the government’s failure to protect whistle-blowers undermines its commitment to fighting corruption. He added that the lawsuit against Kamangila could have a chilling effect on future whistle-blowers.
“When the government says it is serious in the fight against corruption, whom is it working with? Isn’t it by encouraging whistle-blowers to raise issues of corruption?” he asked. “It seems Kamangila was left alone in the cold, leaving him to face the wrath of those he is trying to expose, which is very unfortunate and disheartening because that will discourage future whistle-blowers on corruption.”
He added that Justice Manda’s lawsuit against Kamangila, demanding K250 million in compensation, is perceived as an intimidation tactic aimed at silencing Kamangila from further exposing alleged corrupt practices within the judiciary.
Maulidi said the government and the legal system were supposed to examine Kamangila’s allegations and the evidence presented to move the legal system to let justice take its course. He has, however, encouraged more whistle-blowers to come forward but cautioned that allegations should be based on goodwill and not ill motives.
The call by Rev. Maulidi for the government to protect whistle-blowers comes at a critical time. Just last December, lawyer Alexious Kamangila wrote to Inspector General of Police Merlyne Yolamu, Ministry of Justice reporting threats to his life and family due to his exposure of corruption within the Malawi Judiciary and legal profession.
Kamangila’s letter to authorities revealed that political activist Agape Khombe was one of the individuals threatening him. Specifically, Kamangila alleged that Khombe threatened to “get to me and destroy me,” for implicating Attorney General Thabo Chakaka Nyirenda in corruption.
Despite attaching evidence, including a WhatsApp conversation, to his report, Kamangila’s plea for protection has been met with silence as neither of the authorities responded to the letter. This lack of action underscores the need for robust whistle-blower protection mechanisms in Malawi as Maulidi emphasized.
Kamangila’s allegations, which began in September 2024, have sparked widespread concern, with many Malawians relating to the injustice they suffered due to the failure to access justice.
His claims have also prompted various stakeholders, including the Malawi Law Society, Civil Society Organizations, and DNC Chambers, to demand an investigation into corruption within the judiciary.
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