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.
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| Attribute | MalawiReviewed | EswatiniReviewed |
|---|---|---|
| Legal family | English common law with customary law | Mixed Roman-Dutch, English common law and Swazi customary law |
| System of government | Presidential republic | Absolute monarchy |
| Constitution | Constitution of the Republic of Malawi | Constitution of the Kingdom of Eswatini |
| In force since | 1994 | 2005 |
| Capital | Lilongwe | Mbabane |
| Official languages | English, Chichewa | siSwati, English |
| Currency | Malawian kwacha (MWK) | Swazi lilangeni (SZL) |
| Population | 20,900,000 | 1,200,000 |
| Division of powers | Unitary with three regions and 28 districts administered by local councils. Traditional authorities exercise recognised functions over customary land and local dispute resolution. | Unitary with four regions and 55 tinkhundla constituencies that combine electoral and administrative functions. Chiefs administer Swazi Nation Land under the King as trustee. |
| How law is made | 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. | Bills pass the House of Assembly and Senate and require royal assent, which the King may withhold. The King may also legislate by decree in defined circumstances, and bills touching Swazi law and custom are referred to traditional structures. Constitutional amendment requires a two-thirds majority of both chambers sitting jointly, and for entrenched provisions a referendum. |
| Legal profession | 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 fused profession of attorneys admitted by the High Court after a law degree and articles, regulated by the Law Society of Eswatini; advocates may be admitted separately for higher-court work. |
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.