By Draxon Maloya
During his recent visit to several European countries, President Lazarus Chakwera met with the president of the Community of Sant’Egidio in Rome, Italy to discuss the possibility of abolishing the death penalty in Malawi.
The Community of Sant’Egidio, a vocal advocate for global abolition of capital punishment, has been actively engaging with Malawi’s government on this critical issue.
Meanwhile, Malawi’s St. Egidio programs coordinator, Crief Daniel, acknowledged that the country has observed a moratorium on executions since 1994, yet the death penalty remains legally permissible.
“Sant’Egidio’s efforts aims to align Malawi with international human rights standards, promoting a culture of life, dignity, and restorative justice,” said Daniel.
The meeting between President Chakwera and Sant’Egidio concluded with a joint commitment to explore partnerships and foster a budding friendship between Malawi and the organization.
President Chakwera’s diplomatic visit included a highly anticipated encounter with Dr. Marco Impagliazzo, President of the Community of Sant’Egidio who upon arriving at the Sant’Egidio headquarters in Rome, Italy, received him with a warm welcome. The two leaders exchanged greetings, and Impagliazzo introduced Chakwera to the “House of Peace.”
In their conference room discussion, President Chakwera praised Sant’Egidio’s remarkable work in promoting peace, interfaith dialogue, and social justice globally. Dr. Impagliazzo expressed gratitude for Chakwera’s kind words and acknowledged Malawi’s efforts in fostering national unity and development.
“Our conversation centered on shared values and potential collaborations,
Malawi’s challenges and initiatives, while we shared experiences in conflict resolution, healthcare, and education,” reported the Malawi Government Facebook page.
It further states that the meeting culminated in a joint commitment to explore partnerships, particularly in areas like youth empowerment, healthcare, and peacebuilding.
Daniel emphasized that St. Egidio, a Catholic lay association with a presence in Malawi will continue focusing on promoting peace, justice, and human rights.
The School of Peace, among its initiatives, empowers young people through education, skills training, interfaith dialogue, community service, and support for HIV/AIDS prevention and care.
Ironically, despite the 2021 High Court ruling declaring the death penalty unconstitutional, Malawi’s laws still provide for capital punishment in certain cases, such as murder, treason, and aggravated robbery. However, no executions are expected to take place due to the existing moratorium
