The Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC) has called on the Minister of Homeland Security and Cabinet to expedite the process of enacting a new refugee law following the completion of the review of the Refugees Act.
The Commission says the proposed legislation will strengthen Malawi's capacity to protect and manage refugees and asylum seekers in line with human rights standards.
In an official statement released on Tuesday, MHRC Executive Secretary Habiba Osman said the current Refugees Act of 1989 is outdated and inadequate to address modern challenges, hence the need for urgent reforms.
Osman was reacting to the completion of the Special Law Commission's review, whose recommendations and draft bills were presented by its chairperson, Justice Professor Redson E. Kapindu, during a media briefing on October 9, 2026.
The Commission commended the Law Commission for completing the review, saying the proposed Refugees (Protection and Management) Bill addresses key issues, including the definitions of refugees and asylum seekers and the roles and responsibilities of state institutions in admitting asylum seekers.
"The proposed reforms also include amendments to the Disaster Risk Management Act to address the situation of asylum seekers who temporarily seek shelter in Malawi during natural disasters and the current legislation is too outdated," Osman said.
MHRC says the existing law was enacted in response to the Mozambican civil war, which brought nearly one million refugees into Malawi, and no longer adequately reflects current realities.
The Commission has therefore urged the Minister of Homeland Security to submit the final report to Cabinet without delay and prioritise the proposed legislation to facilitate its enactment.
