BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)—The High Court judge Charles Mkandawire has granted an injunction stopping effect of the decision by President Peter Mutharika to send Chief Justice, Andrew Nyirenda, on leave pending retirement.
The Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) in partnership with the Association of Judges in Malawi have jointly obtained the court injunction this afternoon.
The Judge has, among other orders, ordered for a judicial review of the government’s decision and that it should be expedited.
On Friday 12 June, 2020, the Chief Secretary to the government, Lloyd Muhara, issued a public notice which stated that the Chief Justice would proceed on leave pending retirement with immediate effect as he has accumulated more leave days than the remainder of his working days to retirement date.
Nyirenda is due for retirement in December 2021.
Different quarters think that Mutharika want to send Nyirenda on leave so that another judge who is connected to the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) should take over in order to frustrate the forthcoming fresh presidential election.
Malawians will vote on 23rd June after the High Court judges, sitting as Constitutional Court, nullified the May 2019 presidential election citing widespread irregularities.
The decision of the Constitutional Court was further upheld by a panel of seven judges of the Supreme Court of Appeal led by Justice Nyirenda.
President Mutharika is still denying to accept the verdict and has been attacking the Judiciary for robbing him of deserved victory.