𝗛𝗼𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗲𝗳 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗠𝘇𝗶𝗸𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮, 𝗦𝗖, 𝗘𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗘𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝗔𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗲𝗳 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀’ 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝘂𝗺

Today, 11th October 2025, the Southern and Eastern Africa Chief Justice's Forum (SEACJF) has elected the Honourable Justice Rizine Robert Mzikamanda, SC, Chief Justice of the Republic of Malawi, as its new Chairperson during an election held in Gaborone, Botswana.

In this capacity, the Honourable Chief Justice Mzikamanda, SC, will lead the Management Committee, which is the Forum’s principal executive organ responsible for setting its agenda and driving its programmes in line with the objectives outlined in its Constitution. He takes over the mantle from his predecessor, Honourable Justice Bheki Maphalala, Chief Justice of the Kingdom of Eswatini.

In his acceptance speech, the new Chairperson said he was honoured to be elected as the Chairperson of the forum. He promised to continue the good work that the forum has achieved so far in order to reach greater heights.

The Honourable Chief Justice Mzikamanda, SC, led Malawi’s delegation to this year’s Forum, which commenced on 8 October 2025 and concluded with an Annual General Meeting on 11 October 2025.
This year’s forum, held under the theme “Judicial Independence and Accountability in Safeguarding the Rule of Law,” brought together Chief Justices, judges, and legal experts from 16 countries across the Southern and Eastern African regions. Delivering his keynote address on Wednesday afternoon, Botswana’s President Advocate Duma Gideon Boko urged African judiciaries to continue strengthening their independence and accountability, describing them as the “bedrock of democracy, socio-economic growth, and the rule of law.”

The SEACJF was established in 2003 in recognition and amplification of the important role that judiciaries play within the Southern and Eastern African regions. The Forum also aims to promote cooperation and the exchange of best practices among courts in the region. Through its annual gatherings and thematic dialogues, the SEACJF provides a platform for collective advocacy on issues affecting the rule of law, judicial governance, and access to justice across Africa.