Judiciary Chief Corporate Affairs and Public Relations Officer Ruth Mputeni says her double victory at the 2026 Public Relations Society of Malawi (PRSM) Excellence Awards has strengthened her resolve to make the Judiciary more open, transparent and accessible to the public.
Mputeni, who was named Overall PR Practitioner of the Year and Public Sector PR Practitioner of the Year, says the recognition is not only a personal achievement but also a reflection of collective efforts within the Judiciary to bridge the gap between the courts and the people.
“This is a great honour for me, but also a proud moment for the entire Judiciary, because this recognition reflects the collective efforts we have made to bring the Judiciary closer to the people,” Mputeni said.
She says when she joined the Judiciary, she found an institution already committed to opening up its operations and becoming more accessible to the public.
Mputeni says she has built on that foundation by focusing on meaningful public engagement and simplifying information about the courts to make it easier for ordinary Malawians to understand.
“The vision, support and confidence of the Honourable Chief Justice, together with the support of the entire Judiciary, have made it possible for me to fulfil my role in helping bridge the gap between the courts and the public,” she said.
According to Mputeni, the recognition has also raised the expectations on her to do more, particularly in ensuring that people understand their rights and know how and where to access justice.
“This recognition is therefore not only an honour, but also a catalyst to raise the bar even higher,” she said.
Mputeni says she will continue promoting a Judiciary that is open, transparent and people-centred, while simplifying and localising the complexity of the court system.
Meanwhile, Independent Complaints Commission Public Relations Officer Happy Njalammano says his recognition as the Up-and-Coming PR Practitioner of the Year has reminded him of the responsibility to take the ICC closer to the people.
Njalammano says the award is particularly significant because the ICC is a relatively new oversight and governance institution established to support people with complaints against the police.
“This award is both a recognition and a reminder of the responsibility I have as the Public Relations Officer for the Independent Complaints Commission. It reminds me of the duty I have to bring the Commission closer to the people,” he said.
He says his role goes beyond simply publicising the Commission, but also ensuring that people understand its mandate and know the mechanisms available to them when they have complaints against the police.
“I see myself as a bridge connecting the people with the Commission so that, ultimately, they can access and receive the services they deserve,” Njalammano said.
Njalammano has attributed his achievement largely to the relationship he has built with the media, which he says has been instrumental in helping the ICC reach the public despite financial and economic challenges facing the institution.
“For people to know the existence and mandate of the Commission, I need the support of the media to spread that message. The media plays a critical role in ensuring that people know that the Commission exists,” he said.
He has also credited ICC staff and various departments, including the civic education and legal departments, for providing the information and institutional support required to communicate the Commission’s work effectively.
Njalammano has further dedicated the award to ICC Commissioner Christopher Tukula, whom he describes as an open-minded and flexible leader who gives room for new ideas.
“I thank my Commissioner Christopher Tukula for giving me the opportunity to exercise my role without being rigid. He is a flexible person who provides fertile ground for ideas to flourish,” he said.
However, Njalammano says the award should not be viewed as the end of the journey, but rather a challenge to increase the Commission’s public impact.
“Yes, we have won this award, but the question now is: what next?” he said.
Njalammano says the ICC intends to strengthen its digital communication efforts, including increasing the visibility of its podcast, so that more people can learn about the Commission and its mandate.
He says the ultimate goal is not merely for Malawians to know that the ICC exists, but to understand and use its complaints-handling mechanisms to access the services it provides.
The two were among several practitioners and institutions recognised during the PRSM Excellence Awards, which were held as part of the organisation’s 10th anniversary celebrations in Salima.
Other winners included National Bank of Malawi, which received the Excellence in Corporate Communication award, while First Capital Bank’s Memory Mwathengere was named Corporate PR Practitioner of the Year.
The Malawi Law Commission won Excellence in Public Sector Communication, while COMSIP received the Excellence in Development Communication award.
The Malawi Electoral Commission was recognised for Excellence in Crisis Communication, while Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Justin Saidi was honoured as an Honorary Fellow of PRSM.
