The effects of the processes of domesticating and applying international law in Malawi

dc.contributor.advisorWoolaver, Hannah
dc.contributor.authorKondowe, Alexander Justice
dc.date.accessioned2022-02-18T08:59:40Z
dc.date.available2022-02-18T08:59:40Z
dc.date.issued2021
dc.date.updated2022-02-17T07:33:07Z
dc.description.abstractInternational law enjoys a considerable space in Malawi's domestic law as evidenced in several constitutional provisions that allow the application of international law in Malawi. While several constitutional provisions allow the application of international law in domestic law, the process of how international law forms part of the domestic law is provided under section 211 of the constitution of Malawi where it provides for instances of the direct and indirect application of treaties and CIL in Malawi's domestic law. This dissertation discusses the relationship between international law and domestic law in Malawi by analysing how the process of domesticating and applying international law in Malawi affects the development or growth of domestic law. Therefore, this dissertation answers the question of; to what extent is the process of domesticating and applying international law in Malawi affects the development of domestic law. To fully grasp the effects of domesticating and applying international law in Malawi, this dissertation will discuss the role and application of treaties and CIL in domestic law. It will be discussed that while some monist elements can be seen in the constitution, but the constitutional order and the courts agree that Malawi is predominantly a dualist state. The presence of the monist and dualist elements is an indication that changes in international law are likely to affect changes in domestic law through either the process of legislation by parliament interpretation of the law by courts. As a dualist state, the general position is that whenever a conflict arises between international law and domestic law, domestic law prevails. However, the courts as interpreters of the law in Malawi have taken a different approach of applying international law to the extent that they have consistently interpreted the law in a manner that avoids a conflict between international law and domestic law. It will be argued that the reason why the courts have developed a principle of avoiding a conflict between international law and domestic law is that the court as an arm of government is part of the government's efforts to fulfill its international obligations. Therefore, any attempt to invalidate such obligations in domestic law would be viewed that the government of Malawi is fighting itself. Therefore, whether the processes of transforming or incorporating international law into Malawi's domestic law is done through legislation or interpretation of the law by courts, it equally affects or influences changes or development of the domestic law in Malawi because whether it is legislation or courts decision, they are all binding law domestically.
dc.identifier.apacitationKondowe, A. J. (2021). <i>The effects of the processes of domesticating and applying international law in Malawi</i>. (). ,Faculty of Law ,Department of Public Law. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/35745en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationKondowe, Alexander Justice. <i>"The effects of the processes of domesticating and applying international law in Malawi."</i> ., ,Faculty of Law ,Department of Public Law, 2021. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/35745en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationKondowe, A.J. 2021. The effects of the processes of domesticating and applying international law in Malawi. . ,Faculty of Law ,Department of Public Law. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/35745en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Master Thesis AU - Kondowe, Alexander Justice AB - International law enjoys a considerable space in Malawi's domestic law as evidenced in several constitutional provisions that allow the application of international law in Malawi. While several constitutional provisions allow the application of international law in domestic law, the process of how international law forms part of the domestic law is provided under section 211 of the constitution of Malawi where it provides for instances of the direct and indirect application of treaties and CIL in Malawi's domestic law. This dissertation discusses the relationship between international law and domestic law in Malawi by analysing how the process of domesticating and applying international law in Malawi affects the development or growth of domestic law. Therefore, this dissertation answers the question of; to what extent is the process of domesticating and applying international law in Malawi affects the development of domestic law. To fully grasp the effects of domesticating and applying international law in Malawi, this dissertation will discuss the role and application of treaties and CIL in domestic law. It will be discussed that while some monist elements can be seen in the constitution, but the constitutional order and the courts agree that Malawi is predominantly a dualist state. The presence of the monist and dualist elements is an indication that changes in international law are likely to affect changes in domestic law through either the process of legislation by parliament interpretation of the law by courts. As a dualist state, the general position is that whenever a conflict arises between international law and domestic law, domestic law prevails. However, the courts as interpreters of the law in Malawi have taken a different approach of applying international law to the extent that they have consistently interpreted the law in a manner that avoids a conflict between international law and domestic law. It will be argued that the reason why the courts have developed a principle of avoiding a conflict between international law and domestic law is that the court as an arm of government is part of the government's efforts to fulfill its international obligations. Therefore, any attempt to invalidate such obligations in domestic law would be viewed that the government of Malawi is fighting itself. Therefore, whether the processes of transforming or incorporating international law into Malawi's domestic law is done through legislation or interpretation of the law by courts, it equally affects or influences changes or development of the domestic law in Malawi because whether it is legislation or courts decision, they are all binding law domestically. DA - 2021_ DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town KW - International Law LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PY - 2021 T1 - The effects of the processes of domesticating and applying international law in Malawi TI - The effects of the processes of domesticating and applying international law in Malawi UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/35745 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/35745
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationKondowe AJ. The effects of the processes of domesticating and applying international law in Malawi. []. ,Faculty of Law ,Department of Public Law, 2021 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/35745en_ZA
dc.language.rfc3066eng
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Public Law
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Law
dc.subjectInternational Law
dc.titleThe effects of the processes of domesticating and applying international law in Malawi
dc.typeMaster Thesis
dc.type.qualificationlevelMasters
dc.type.qualificationlevelLLM
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