Attorney General Kaphale withdraws application challenging lockdown injunction

BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)—In a twist of events, Attorney General Kalekeni Kaphale has withdrawn an application to the High Court which was meant to challenge an injunction obtained by Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC)  restraining government from imposing a 21 day lockdown to stem further spread of the coronavirus which causes Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Kaphale filed the application with the High Court of Malawi, Lilongwe District Registry on Wednesday.

But today 23 April Kaphale has told media that there is no need for wasting time in the court in arguing against the injunction because it is self-evident that the pandemic is out there and is spreading quickly.

“We have carefully considered our position, and no longer desirous to argue any application to vacate the interlocutory injunction or to be heard,” he said.

According to Kaphale, the government has trust in judiciary that they are going to do the right thing based on the prevailing pandemic crisis the country is in right now.

Minister of Health Jappie Mhango announced on 14 April that the Malawi would be on lockdown for 21 days from the midnight of Saturday 18 April to midnight on Friday 8 May in an effort to control further spread of the deadly coronavirus.

Meanwhile, Malawi has 33 cases of covid-19, three deaths and three recoveries.

Maneno Chimulala

I am a journalist, educator, and activist with passion for telling stories about social justice, sports and political issues. I graduated from Mzuzu University. I started my career at the Maravi Post online publication in 2012 as an intern while in college. Upon graduating from Mzuzu University I was offered a job as Sports Reporter because of my background as a goalkeeper and rose to the position of sub editor. I also had a short stint with Nyasatimes, Malawi Punch and Malawi Digest. Over the past seven years, I have worked intimately with rural organizations and communities in Malawi on human rights, girl child education and grassroots development projects. With an academic background in education, I also volunteer as male champion for girls’ education under Girls Empowerment Networks (GENET) in Malawi’s South West Education Division (SWED).