Court stops Malawi lockdown, Judge Kenyatta grants HRDC injunction: New Covid-19 case registered

High Court Judge Kenyatta Nyirenda who was recently accused by Malaiw government of undermining coronavirus efforts has on Friday granted  Human rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) an injunction against pending 21-day lockdown.

Trapence:  HRDC has obtained an injunction

HRDC Chairperson Gift Trapence has confirmed to Nyasa Times that the judge has also ordred an inter-party hearing within seven days for judicial review.

The rights coalition  went to court order to stop the government from implementing the lockdown based on the government’s failure to announce any measures to cushion the poor during the lockdown.

Malawi is one of the poorest countries on the continent where more than half of the population live below the poverty threshold.

And there has been protests throughout Malawi by informal traders against the lockdown.

President Peter Mutharika has announced a 21-day lockdown starting on Sunday to contain the spread of the new coronavirus which has killed two people in the country.

Minister of Information, Civic Education and Communications Technology Mark Botomani is on record accusing Judge Nyirenda of lacking patriotism.

He said Judge Nyirenda is pulling in the opposite direction  and can make Malawi “a weak link in global efforts to fight Covid-19.”

Meanwhile, Minister of Health Jappie Mhango has announced  one more Covid-19 positive case bringing the number of virus pandemic  cases to 17.

The patient is a 70-year old man from Blantyre.

Mhango made the announcement at a news conference in Lilongwe on Friday.

The  minister  also disclosed that three people from Lilongwe who earlier tested positive for Covid-19 have now tested negative . A second test will again be conducted on Saturday.

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Shonai
4 years ago

Sanakumane nazo.Iyi ndi ngozi no discussion but actions then later follow ups and remedies.Zilowe akufuna zilowe m’nyumba mwawawo Kaye kuti adziwe kuti mzofunika change.

Kandulu
Kandulu
4 years ago

Insulting the Judge just show cowardice. APM has set aside a budget of K150 billion to fight the virus and that is more than enough to give each Malawian, young or old, K50 000.00 hand outs. If the judge rules that everyone should be given K50 000.00, are these people who are busy insulting him refuse the money?

Kala
Kala
4 years ago

Koma atumbukawaaaaaaa heeee. Okkkkk.time will tell

Ruta
4 years ago

Corona-virus came into Malawi because if this same Tumbuka judge Kenyatta Nyirenda. He is an idiot, corrupt and incompetent judge who represent the wrote of tumbuka judiciary that we have in Malawi. It will be better to cleanse our judiciary of these myopic tumbukas.

Junior citizen
Junior citizen
4 years ago

Tilowa mukatipasa ndondomeko zoti tisafe ND njala , ku South Africa kumene mukukopela ndondomeko zawo nzabwinoko zoganizila anthu awo for example akumawapatsa ufa sugar soap mafuta ophikila ndiwo izi magetsi madzi kuuza Eni ntchito kusawachotsa ntchito.inu kungoti lowani mnyumba three weeks oooooh ufiti suposa apa.tionane pa 24 mutiuze chenicheni. Ache mark botomani zawanyelela ku BBC. DPP ndiyankhanza .

Mtondowodoka
4 years ago

Malawi will eventually be deviated by corona, only the. Will people understand. By then it would be too late to even say I told you so. But truth is the 79 year old Muntharika has tried.

The SNIPER
The SNIPER
4 years ago
Reply to  Mtondowodoka

But failed, what is to clap hands for?

Ida
Ida
4 years ago

This matter is coming to court again on 24April. The Judge has impliedly given Jappiie Mhango and his committee enough time to put down measures that would cushion those who will be seriously affected by the lockdown. It’s up to the committee to come with such strategies . No sane Judge would rule against lockdown if such measures are put in place and clearly stated.

Mtondowodoka
4 years ago
Reply to  Ida

Leave it to a bias, nepotistic Tumbuka judge who let Corona into the country in the first place. according to him government does no right.Everything must be opposed. Let’s see how this ends.

The trouble you asked me to finish-Hon M Gwalidi
The trouble you asked me to finish-Hon M Gwalidi
4 years ago
Reply to  Mtondowodoka

Wafodya iwe ndithu. Coronavirus analowa muno coz your clueless government was unable to put in place mesures to stop people coming from coronavirus hotspot. The first cases were imported from India and the judge never allowed anyone from India to enter Malawi. Gets your facts straight the thickhead,,,,

The SNIPER
The SNIPER
4 years ago
Reply to  Mtondowodoka

Give people the food, period! Useless head. Mukodza magazi this time.
We aee smashing you hahahahahahaha Full scale Baba.

Mwaulambia
Mwaulambia
4 years ago

Sad. Let’s assume the so called human rights defenders and their bedfellows caught the virus. Or it should catch with their loved ones.

Wiseup
Wiseup
4 years ago
Reply to  Mwaulambia

Well it is coming

#Better MW
#Better MW
4 years ago

Enforce masks.

Paul
Paul
4 years ago

A very sad outcome that defies logic and intelligence at the highest order. It leaves the President with one option, that of declaring Martial Law to protect the nation. This is what happens when a country resorts to respect only one – legal recource to everything that happens in life. True, the Law is an ass…its burdened and moves rather too cowardly and slow. I hope when all the chips are down and the body bags are counted, HRDC will be held to account as to why such a collateral damage is deemed necessary for a country. In similar vain,… Read more »

Nalingula
Nalingula
4 years ago
Reply to  Paul

LET HIM declare It …….It puzzles me. That you can afford to Gather Chiefs from Over the Country to Lilongwe But you can’t Gather MPs….Are chiefs immune to Corona……MPs could have told you that you Cant fight Corona Using a Centralised APPROACH …A lockdown can work in namiwawa not mbayani ,.What is ur strategy ……MPs coulnd have told u to Target high density areas in Cities with Massive testing ,social distancing and hygienne measures as they share resources like maize meals,water looks etc of course involving community lead who can arrange shifts if necessary OOsaati Basi kungolowesa ndale zanu pacorona…….

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