IPMM pushes for HR Bill enactment

Institute of People Management Malawi (IPMM) has called for speedy enactment of the Human Resource (HR) Management Bill.

The bill seeks to regulate the profession, standadise practices and promote ethical conduct among practitioners.

IPMM President Frank Sabola made the call at the opening of the institute’s 2026 Annual Lakeshore Conference in Mangochi District on Thursday.

The conference has attracted HR professionals from various sectors.

Sabola said the proposed law would promote professional management of Malawi’s human resources, thereby contributing to human capital development, a key pillar of the Malawi 2063 vision.

“We are actively pursuing the enactment of the Human Resource Management Bill.

This bill is critical for the HR profession. For the country at large, it will ensure the management of our most important resource, leading to improved productivity and industrial harmony,” Sabola said.

He said the conference theme, ‘Building Talents for Malawi’s Digital and Green Economy’, reflected the changing world of work, driven by digital transformation and the transition towards a green economy.

CHIGONA—Build a bridge

“The digital economy and the green economy are not future concepts. They are here already. We, as HR practitioners, must lead the transition by building skills that are relevant, resilient and also sustainable for Malawi and beyond,” Sabola said.

Labour Minister Joel Chigona said Malawi’s economic growth required a skilled, productive and adaptable workforce.

He challenged HR professionals to play a strategic role in building the human capital needed to achieve the country’s long-term development aspirations under the Malawi 2063 development blueprint.

“[The] Malawi 2063 [vision] aspires to make our country [an] inclusive, wealthy and self-reliant [nation]. You are a profession that can built a bridge between where Malawi is and the 2063 aspiration,” Chigona said.

Chigona also assured professionals of the government’s support, saying the Ministry of Labour would continue engaging IPMM to strengthen the legal and policy framework governing the world of work.

The conference brought together over 580 delegates from the HR profession and other stakeholder groups.