MCP gets court injunction against Mutharika’s MEC relocation order

LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and some lawmakers belonging to the party have obtained an injunction challenging President Peter Mutharika’s directive that the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) should relocate from Lilongwe to Blantyre.

High Court judge Kenyatta Nyirenda has granted the injunction stating that the claimants also want the court to give its determination on the decision by the Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development of not renewing the tenancy at MEC offices in Lilongwe.

The court order, which has Chief Secretary to Government, Justin Saidi and Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Chimwemwe Chipungu as defendants is restraining further steps on the presidential executive order.

Judge Nyirenda has also granted the three- Emmanuel Chambulanyina Jere, Abraham Mwakhwawa and Daniel Mwanyongo Chitonya and MCP an order for leave to move for Judicial and Constitutional Reviews.

It reads the ruling in part: “An Order of interlocutory injunction be and is hereby granted restraining the Defendants, their agents, servants or whosoever from implementing the decisions as contained in paragraphs 1(a) and 1(b) hereof or taking any further steps towards the relocation of the Malawi Electoral Commission from Lilongwe to Blantyre or to any other place whatsoever, until a further order of the Court or until determination of the substantive matters.”

The three are being represented by lawyer George Jivason Kadzipatike, who says the Order stops any relocation of MEC.

He says: “With this Order, MEC will not be relocated from Lilongwe to Blantyre or to any other place.”

Based on that order, MEC was supposed to relocate to Blantyre alongside Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (Macra), and Malawi Housing Corporation (MHC), but has not due to legal battles which have all favoured the State.

Lloyd M’bwana

I’m a Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resource (LUANAR)’s Environmental Science graduate (Malawi) and UK’s ICM Journalism and Media studies scholar. Also University of Malawi (UNIMA) Library Science Scholar. I have been The Malawi Country Manager and duty editor for the Maravi Post since 2019. My duty editor’s job is to ensure that the news is covered properly, that it is delivered on time, and that it is created to the standards set out in the editorial guidelines of the Maravi Post.