Constitution

1. Constitution: Constitution means the Memorandum Rules and Regulation and Bye-laws of the Association as framed and adopted from time to time in its General Meeting.
2. Association: Association means the Animal Science Association of Malawi.
3. General Meeting: General Meeting means a meeting consisting of all the active and life members of the Association.
4. Executive Committee: Executive Committee means members of the Executive Committee of the Animal Science Association Malawi.
5. Member: Member means active and life members of the Association duly registered in accordance with Article 2, Section 2.

1. Student (Diploma, BSc)
2. Farmer – smallholder
3. Postgraduate student
4. Researchers/Academics
5. NGOs
6. Large Enterprises

1. Student (Diploma, BSc): A student enrolled in a recognised Diploma or Bachelor of Science programme in Animal Science, livestock production, animal health, animal husbandry or a related discipline.
2. Farmer – smallholder: A smallholder farmer actively engaged in livestock production or a related livestock value chain.
3. Postgraduate student: A student pursuing postgraduate study in Animal Science, livestock production, animal health or a related discipline.
4. Researchers/Academics: A researcher, lecturer, academic, scientist or technical professional working in Animal Science, livestock development or a related field.
5. NGOs: A non-governmental or development organisation supporting livestock production, research, extension, animal welfare or related sector development.
6. Large Enterprises: A large commercial enterprise, company or institution operating in livestock production, animal health, feed, processing, marketing or a related value chain.

1. Members shall enjoy the benefits, services and professional opportunities approved for their membership category, subject to this Constitution and Association policies.
2. Voting and representation rights shall be exercised in accordance with the governance rules approved by the Association. An institutional member shall participate through an authorised representative.
3. Members in good standing may participate in Association activities, professional programmes, meetings, technical discussions and other services made available to their category.

Every new member shall pay a one-time registration fee together with the annual subscription applicable to the selected membership category.

The registration fee is paid once when joining. The annual subscription is renewed each year. Fees may be reviewed through the Association’s approved governance process.

1. Membership may be terminated where a member is found guilty of financial misconduct, serious misrepresentation or conduct that materially harms the Association. The member shall be given written notice and an opportunity to respond within fifteen days.
2. If the member fails to respond within the stipulated period, or if the response is unsatisfactory, the matter shall be considered by the Executive Committee and handled in accordance with the Constitution and any applicable disciplinary procedure.
3. Membership may also lapse where required subscriptions remain unpaid beyond the period approved by the Association, subject to any reinstatement procedure adopted by the Executive Committee.

All the activities of the Association shall be vested in the Executive Committee. The Central Executive Committee shall consist of the following members:

Chairperson

1. The Chairperson will be the constitutive chief of the Association. He or she will execute all activities of the Association as per Constitution. Being the head of the institution, the Chairperson shall exercise powers and functions including presiding over Executive Committee meetings and General Body Meetings, leading rallies, discussions, deputations, negotiations and delegations at home and abroad relating to the interest of the Association. He or she will exercise powers vested by the Constitution and General Meeting.
2. He or she will preside over all meetings of the Association if present at the meeting place.
3. If emergency circumstances arise, he or she, on behalf of the Association, can impose any direction within a month subject to approval of the Executive Committee.
4. He or she will be held responsible for his or her actions to General Meetings through the Executive Committee.
5. He or she will ensure, preserve and protect the rightful implementation of every clause or section of the Constitution.
6. He or she will sign all statements, documents, declarations and contracts at home and abroad jointly with the Secretary General on behalf of the institution.

Vice-Chairperson

The Vice-Chairperson will discharge duties in the absence of the Chairperson or if the Chairperson is unable to perform his or her duties. He or she will also perform such functions as are assigned by the Executive Committee.

Secretary General

1. The Secretary General will be the chief executive of the Association and, as per Constitution, will exercise all powers and discharge his or her duties.
2. He or she will call meetings of the Executive Committee and General Meeting with permission of the Chairperson. He or she will correctly and faithfully maintain resolutions and minutes and keep all records of such meetings.
3. He or she will be held responsible for maintaining all kinds of assets and liabilities of the Association.
4. He or she will maintain all postal or electronic communications on behalf of the Association.
5. He or she will exert all organizing activities of the Association.
6. He or she will submit all statements of activities and financial expenditure of the Association in a General Meeting after auditing.
7. He or she will be held responsible for all kinds of functions to the Chairperson and to the general members through the Chairperson and Executive Committee.

Vice-Secretary

The Vice-Secretary will discharge his or her duties as Secretary General in the absence of the Secretary General or if the Secretary General is unable to perform his or her duties. They also perform such functions as are assigned by the Executive Committee.

Treasurer

1. The Treasurer, as custodian of the funds of the Association, will be responsible for all kinds of financial transactions including collection of subscriptions of members of the Association.
2. He or she will open a bank account jointly with the Secretary General or Chairperson. The Treasurer will perform banking transactions in joint signature with the Secretary General or Chairperson of the Association.
3. In his or her absence for a term equal to or more than one (1) month, any officer nominated by the Executive Committee will discharge his or her duties as Treasurer.

Publication and Publicity Secretary

1. The Publication and Publicity Secretary will be responsible for duties associated with all types of publications and publicity activities except for the publication of journals of the Association.
2. He or she, by virtue of position, will serve as a member of the editorial board of the journal of the Association.

Science & Technical Secretary

The Science & Technical Secretary will exert all scientific and technical activities of the Association.

Social Welfare and International Affairs Secretary

1. The Social Welfare and International Affairs Secretary will perform activities relating to the welfare of all members of the Association and other people in society.
2. The Social Welfare and International Affairs Secretary will undertake activities to communicate with different countries for the interest of the Association.
3. He or she will perform duties to uphold human rights and facilitate activities relating to the development of the Association.

Member of Executive Committee

1. As per Constitution, all members of the Executive Committee will have equal rights, privileges and responsibilities, except special power and work, in the Executive Committee.
2. They will perform any duty assigned to them by the Executive Committee.

If any office bearer of the Executive Committee remains absent from four consecutive meetings without a valid reason, his or her membership will be considered terminated from the day of the fourth meeting.

1. The term of the Executive Committee will begin on 1 January and last for a period of two (2) years.
2. The fiscal year of the Association will be from 1 January to 31 December.

1. The election will be held in the last month, December, of expiry of the term of the Executive Committee. If the election is not held in due time under any circumstances, the committee will continue its activities until the next election.
2. The election will be held in accordance with the bye-laws of the Association.

For the publication of the journal of the Association, the Executive Committee will form an editorial board consisting of a Chief Editor, an associate editor, two managing editors and seven members. In addition, the Secretary General, Publication and Cultural Secretary will serve on this editorial board as members by virtue of position.

The Executive Committee will form a three-member audit committee for auditing annual accounts of the Association. The Treasurer will submit the complete financial statement of accounts to this committee. The reports prepared by the audit committee will be presented at the General Meeting for approval.

Accounts of the Association will be operated in any scheduled bank of Malawi by joint signature of the Chairperson or Secretary General and Treasurer. Money can be withdrawn from the bank account upon approval of the Executive Committee of the Association.

The Executive Committee can form different sub-committees as and when necessary.

1. A General Meeting of the Association will be held at least once each year. The Secretary General will notify all members of the date, time and venue of the meeting upon approval of the Executive Committee.
2. General Meeting will be called by giving notice of at least fifteen (15) days to carry on routine works. Emergency General Meeting can be called by giving notice of at least seven (7) days depending on situations.
3. General Meeting on a matter will be called upon written request addressed to the Chairperson and signed by one fifth (1/5) of members of the Association having rights to vote.
4. General Meeting will be called within fifteen (15) days after receiving valid written request on the matter.
5. The general members can call the aforesaid General Meeting if the Executive Committee fails to call General Meeting within fifteen (15) days.

1. General meeting of the Executive Committee will usually be held four (4) times a year. Besides this, meeting of the Executive Committee can be held at any time on a need basis.
2. Meeting of the Executive Committee will be called by giving notice of at least seven (7) days. Emergency meeting of the Executive Committee can be called by giving one (1) day notice depending on situations.

1. General Meeting will be held only in the presence of at least one fifth (1/5) of members having voting rights.
2. For conducting any meeting of the Executive Committee, at least 5 officers need to be present.
3. Decisions on all matters in General Meeting and Executive Committee meeting will be taken by vote of the majority of members present at the meeting. The Chairperson can cast an extra vote only where two parties obtain an equal number of votes.

1. To propose impeachment against the Executive Committee of the Association, one third (1/3) of members having voting rights must submit a signed petition to the Chairperson.
2. The Secretary General will call a General Meeting upon instruction of or in consultation with the President within twenty one (21) days after receiving such petition. The Executive Committee will be considered invalid when passed by a vote of two thirds (2/3) of members present at a General Meeting.
3. New election must be held within ninety (90) days after the impeachment proposal has passed.
4. To continue the activities of the non-elected committee, an interim committee consisting of one (1) convener and seven (7) members will be formed at the aforesaid General Meeting.

The Constitution may be amended according to the following conditions:

1. The Constitution might be amended by submitting a proposal to the Chairperson for this purpose by two-thirds of members’ signatures.
2. The authority to amend shall mention the part of the Constitution to be amended.
3. Proposed amendments may be circulated among members of the Association by the Secretary General.
4. The constitutional amendment may be proposed to the next General Meeting and then approved by the Association with a two-thirds majority vote.
5. An unapproved part of an amendment proposal may not be submitted again to the current Executive Committee during its tenure.

If complexity arises from the interpretation of any article of the Constitution, the Chairperson will provide appropriate explanation upon approval of the Executive Committee.

1. If necessary, an additional contribution may be approved where authorised expenditure exceeds the approved budget.
2. Every new member shall pay the one-time registration fee of MWK 10,000 and the annual subscription prescribed for the selected category under Article 2, Section 4.
3. Annual subscriptions shall be renewed within the period communicated by the Association. A lapsed membership may be restored after payment of outstanding amounts and completion of any approved reinstatement requirements.

1. An applicant shall complete the prescribed membership application form, select the correct membership category and submit the required identification and payment information through the official ASAM application process.
2. The application shall remain pending until the payment and supporting information are verified by an authorised administrator.
3. After approval, the applicant shall receive a membership number, member portal access, an official payment receipt and a membership certificate.
4. Institutional applicants, including NGOs and Large Enterprises, shall nominate an authorised representative for official Association communication and participation.

1. Paying all fees, members might attain the right to cast vote and take part in elections.
2. The Executive Committee will declare the date, time and venue of election. This announcement must be declared before ninety (90) days of the election. The election will be conducted through ballot. After counting the vote, the Presiding Officer will declare the unofficial result.
3. Voting will be conducted in General Meeting or by post. Without attending General Meeting, anybody may apply to the Presiding Officer to cast his or her vote, which must reach the Presiding Officer by 5.00 pm of the election day.
4. If the election is held by post, ballot paper must be sent by the Presiding Officer to voters before twenty (20) days of the election.
5. A voter can cast his or her vote once for each post.
6. After casting the vote, it cannot be changed; in this case it will be rejected.
7. The voter must put his or her name, voter number and signature at the perforated part of the ballot paper.
8. The signature of the Presiding Officer must be on the ballot paper.
9. For electing the Executive Committee, an election commission can be formed comprising a Presiding Officer and two Assistant Presiding Officers. If necessary, the Presiding Officer may add two more Assistant Presiding Officers if desired.
10. Presiding Officer and Assistant Presiding Officer cannot be candidates for the election but they will have the right to cast their votes.
11. Lottery may be used whenever two candidates have equal score.
12. A candidate cannot participate for two posts at the same time.
13. For continuity of work, Chairperson and Secretary General will be members of the next Executive Committee.

1. Nomination is to be submitted in the prescribed form provided by the Executive Committee.