President Lazarus Chakwera has assented into law a total of seven bills.

According to Presidential Press Secretary Anthony Kasunda, the assented bills were passed by Parliament in April this year during the 2023-2024 budget meeting.

Reads the statement: “His Excellency Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera, President of the Republic of Malawi, in the exercise of the powers conferred upon him by Section 89 of the Constitution of Malawi, has assented to the following Bills of Parliament recently passed and presented to him by the Legislature.”

Kasunda says the seven bills are Bill No. 1 of 2023: Malawi University of Science and Technology (Amendment), Bill No. 8 of 2023: Supplementary Appropriation (2022/2023), Bill No. 9 of 2023: Disaster Risk Management, Bill No. 10 of 2023: Financial Crimes (Amendment), Bill No. 12 of 2023: Defense Force, Bill No. 13 of 2023: Mines and Minerals; and Bill No. 41 of 2022: Press Trust Reconstruction (Amendment).

Among others, the Disaster Risk Management Bill seeks to repeal the Disaster Preparedness and Relief Act and replace it with a new Act in order to align the law with developments in the area of disaster preparedness, risk reduction, and response and recovery.

Whilst the mines and minerals Bill seeks to repeal the mines and minerals Act which was enacted in 2019, and replace it with a new Act that incorporates provisions for the establishment of an independent regulatory authority of the mining and mineral resources.

The regulatory authority will be responsible for regulating mineral resources and mining activities in the country.

In addition, the Financial Crimes Bill seeks to amend the Financial Crimes Act in order to address the deficiencies and limitations noted through the implementation of the Act since its enactment in 2017.

As for the Defence Force Bill, it seeks to repeal the Defence Force Act and replace it with new legislation that reflects the changes in the functional operations and administration of the Defence Force over the years.

The assenting of the bills by Chakwera is in exercise of the powers conferred upon the Head of State by Section 89 of the country’s Constitution which gives the President powers assent to Bills and promulgate Bills duly passed by Parliament.