The Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC), one of Malawi’s prominent platforms for human rights and democratic governance advocacy, is experiencing a prolonged internal leadership and governance dispute involving competing claims over the legitimacy of its current leadership, the need to convene an Annual General Meeting (AGM), financial accountability, and the authority to speak on behalf of the coalition.
Concerns became public in February 2026, when members from different regions challenged the failure to hold an AGM since 2019 and questioned the legitimacy of the provisional leadership headed by Mr. Michael Kaiyatsa. The concerned members called for an AGM to elect leadership and also raised concerns regarding access to organisational and financial information.
The dispute subsequently escalated into legal proceedings. On 27 April 2026 an HRDC ad hoc committee had taken the HRDC leadership to court, seeking judicial intervention and calling for an AGM and disclosure of donor funding.
The dispute remains unresolved. On 23 July 2026, the High Court proceedings resulted in competing interpretations of the outcome, with the parties subsequently disagreeing publicly over whether the court had effectively rejected the challenge to the current leadership or had instead identified governance gaps requiring mediation.
The continuing conflict risks weakening HRDC’s institutional credibility, internal cohesion and capacity to provide coordinated human rights advocacy.