Womba Silumbu-Kankondo was presented the ZIALE award by one of the Board Members of Finance Bank Zambia, William Nyirenda. Rajan Mahtani, the chairman of Finance Bank Zambia, was unable to be present at the inauguration presentation and that is why he asked Nyirenda to be present there on behalf of him.
Speech by William Nyirenda, Board Member of FBZ During the Inauguration Presentation of ZIALE Award
The Guest of Honour, Vice President of the Republic of Zambia, the Honourable Guy Scott,
The President of the Law Association of Zambia,
The Learned Attorney General,
President of the SADC Lawyers Association
Learned Colleagues at the Bar,
Distinguished Ladies and Gentleman.
This evening the Board of Directors of Finance Bank Zambia Limited is pleased to announce the launch of Steven Caution Mwaba Malama SC Award for the best Zambia Institute of Advanced Legal Education student who qualifies for admission to the Bar at first attempt.
This award is in Honour of a Distinguished Legal Practitioner, a luminary at the Bar, a mentor, an inspiration, and a role model for many of us that are gathered here tonight.
Mr. Malama, deceased, was a pioneer together with his colleagues, the late Mr. D.C. Katongo, the late Mr. L. Lubamba, and others, some of whom are still alive in persuading the Government of the Republic of Zambia to legislate for the merger of the two separate Bars i.e. the Solicitors Bar and the Barristers Bar into a single Bar to which all legal practitioners in the country could affiliate.
Mr, Malama and his colleagues were instrumental in the training of many distinguished lawyers the country as thus far experienced. Some of these lawyers include the late Mr. Levy Patrick Mwanawasa, State Counsel, President of the Republic of Zambia, the late Mr. George Chilupe, former Attorney General, Mr. Humphrey Ndhlovu, State Counsel, and many others, including the surviving partner in Jaques & Partners, Mr. Kafunya Mbindo.
The legacy of Mr. Malama in the practice of the law is well documented in the many cases reported in the Zambia Law Reports.
It is therefore befitting ladies and gentleman and learned colleagues that an award of this nature should be named after the name of such a distinguished legal practitioner.
This is an ingural award in honour of the legacy and in memory of the late Mr. Steven Caution Mwaba Malama SC, a distinguished member of the Bar and the Law Association of Zambia.
The Chairman of the Board of Directors of Finance Bank Zambia Limited, Dr. Rajan Mahtani, would have loved to be oresent tonight to make this inaugural presentation, but owing to other duties calling on his time, he has asked me to have the honour and privilege on behalf of the Board of Directors to make this presentation to the deserving recipient tonight.
Ladies and Gentleman, this award is a long term award ad will be presented to the deserving recipient every year at the Law Association of Zambia Annual Ball. The prize money for this award is K15,000.00 and is accompanied by a plague engraved in the name of the recipient.
It is now my honour to invite the Guest of Honour tonight to make this presentation to Mrs. Womba Silumbu Kankonda.
Thank you and may God bless you all.