LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The High Court in Lilongwe has stopped the government’s plan to redeploy five senior Malawi Police Service (MPS) officers to the civil service.
Judge William Yakuwawa Msiska granted an injunction restraining Chief Secretary Justin Saidi from implementing the redeployment decision.
The affected officers, who hold the rank of MPS Commissioner, are Christopher Katani, Rhoda Manjolo, Emmanuel Soko, Chikondi Chingadza, and Barbra Mchenga Tsiga.
The court has also granted them permission for judicial review of the decision.
This ruling comes just a week after another High Court judge, Kenyatta Nyirenda, granted a stay order on the government’s decision to redeploy five senior Malawi Defence Force officers.
The move has been seen as a significant development in the country’s judicial landscape.
The court’s decision is a temporary reprieve for the officers, pending the outcome of the judicial review.
The government had announced the redeployment, but the court’s intervention has put the plans on hold.
The Malawi Police Service has been experiencing some turbulence in recent times, with several senior officers facing disciplinary actions or being redeployed.
This latest development is likely to add to the ongoing discussions about the country’s security sector reforms.
The outcome of the judicial review will be closely watched, as it may have implications for the government’s ability to make appointments and redeployments within the civil service.