HRDC insists on Malawi airports shutdown: Lawyers working to clear court injunction

Officials from Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) say their lawyers are working to clear a court injunction which the state obtained to stop the anti-Jane Ansah protests in airports and borders.

Revenue collectors, the Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) obtained the injunction against HRDC, saying such protests would negatively affect revenue collection of the organization.

HRDC official Macdonald Sembereka said his organization wants to engage another gear to force the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) chairperson Jane Ansah resign.

“Our lawyers are working hard to remove the injunction so that we go and protest in airports and boarders, probably that would force Ansah out of office,” said Sembereka.

Sembereka’s comments come at a time when some people say the current wave of protests are doing nothing to force Ansah out of office, saying the HRDC needed to explore other ways of forcing her to resign.

HRDC and opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and UTM say the 2019 presidential polls were highly manipulated in favour of President Peter Mutharika, an allegation denied by Mutharika, MEC and the government.

The grouping is aware of the huge negative impact the airport and border shutdown will have on the country’s economy butsaid that should propel President Mutharika, as the appointing authority, to fire Jane Ansah as Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) chairperson.

President Mutharika recently told BBC that he will not fire Ansah and the  embattled MEC chairperson has also refused to resign.