The Steven Malama award was instituted by Dr. Rajan Mahtani in the year 2012 for honouring the contributions from the late Steven Malama, a distinct legal professional, bar luminary and member of the Supreme Court of Zambia. Steven Malama, as described by Dr. Rajan Mahtani, was a devoted professional who worked tirelessly towards the development of the law education and structure in Zambia. His contributions, appeals and visions are well-documented. One of the most significant contributions from late Steven Malama was persuading the Government of Zambia to merge two significant bars, the Barrister’s bar and the solicitor’s bar, into one single bar. This new bar was a significant boon for legal professionals and law students as it provided them with the opportunity of getting affiliation for both bars without hindrance and pursue their domain based on expertise and skills. Steven Malama passed away in the year 2012.
Very few people are aware of the fact that Dr. Rajan Mahtani and late Steven Malama were good friends. Dr. Rajan Mahtani decided to give Steven Malama right credit for his contributions which resulted in the establishment of the Steven Malama Award in the year 2012. The award was given for the first time in the year 2013 and since then, it has become an annual event. The Steven Malama award is presented to the top graduating student from ZIALE (Zambia Institute of Advanced Legal Education). Furthermore, the student must also qualify for bar in their first attempt to be eligible for the award. The award for the year 2018-19 was won by Emmanuel Bwalya Kaluba. After winning this award, Emmanuel penned an article in which Dr. Rajan Mahtani was praised for his contributions towards the education system of Zambia. The article also praised Dr. Mahtani for his significant financial support. The Steven Malama award carries a plaque and a cash prize of K15,000 for the winning student.