Comparison
Read two legal systems against each other
Because every portal follows the same fifteen-section outline, the comparison is genuinely like-for-like rather than a collage of whatever each government happens to publish.
Select up to six documented jurisdictions
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| Attribute | KenyaReviewed | MalawiReviewed |
|---|---|---|
| Legal family | Mixed (common law, customary law, Islamic law) | English common law with customary law |
| System of government | Unitary presidential republic with devolved counties | Presidential republic |
| Constitution | Constitution of Kenya | Constitution of the Republic of Malawi |
| In force since | 2010 | 1994 |
| Capital | Nairobi | Lilongwe |
| Official languages | English, Swahili | English, Chichewa |
| Currency | Kenyan Shilling (KES) | Malawian kwacha (MWK) |
| Population | 55,100,000 | 20,900,000 |
| Division of powers | Presidential system with no Prime Minister, a bicameral Parliament of National Assembly and Senate, 47 county governments with their own assemblies and executives, and an independent judiciary supervised by the Judicial Service Commission. | Unitary with three regions and 28 districts administered by local councils. Traditional authorities exercise recognised functions over customary land and local dispute resolution. |
| How law is made | Bills are read three times with committee scrutiny and public participation, which the courts treat as a justiciable requirement. Bills concerning counties must pass both chambers. The President assents or refers the bill back with reservations, which Parliament may override by two-thirds. | Bills pass three readings in the National Assembly with committee scrutiny and are presented for presidential assent, which must be given or withheld within 21 days. Constitutional amendments require a two-thirds majority, and amendments affecting entrenched provisions additionally require a referendum. |
| Legal profession | Fused: an LLB, the Kenya School of Law advocates training programme, and admission by the Chief Justice produce an advocate of the High Court. The Law Society of Kenya is the professional body; Senior Counsel is the senior rank. | A fused profession of legal practitioners admitted by the High Court after a law degree, regulated by the Malawi Law Society under the Legal Education and Legal Practitioners Act. |
A comparison table flattens nuance by design. Where a difference matters to a decision you are making, open both portals and read the section in full — the constitutional detail behind a one-line summary is often the part that governs the outcome.