Lockdown injunction to remain active until April 29: Malawi court to decide
The future of the coronavirus lockdown in Malawi lies in the hands of Judge Kenyatta Nyirenda who is expected to make a ruling next week Wednesday April 29 2020 after hearing the application by Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) on Friday as the Attorney General formally expressed its intention not to contest or vacate the injunction.
This means the injunction on lockdown which HRDC obtained to gether with Church and Society Programme of CCAP Livingstonia Synod, legislator Kezzie Msukwa, will remain active until when Judge Nyirenda is expected to make a ruling on the application by claimants.
On Friday, Judge Nyirenda heard arguments from the claimants who among others want the State to bear the costs of the case as well as condemn Attorney General Kalekeni Kaphale on his approach to the case.
Judge Nyirenda said the court would rule Wednesday on whether to sustain or dismiss the lockdown.
The Attorney General withdrew the challenge on the case at the 11th hour, saying said government already performed its duty by announcing the lockdown.
“We believe all the information needed to make the right decision is in the public domain. The virus is not out there playing games,” said Kaphale.
The government wants a three-weeks strict lockdown measures to slow down the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Citizens are now asked, not ordered, to act in ways to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
Most people in Malawi found the lockdown outlook more terrifying than the disease, though they acknowledged that Covid-19 is a serious challenge.
HRDC chairperson Gift Trapence has faulted government planning a lockdown without properly considering the impacts on the poor.
HRDC,where do they get their financial support?
Kenyatta the judge allow these people to go ahead with the lockdown and they will see by themselves what is lockdown and if will work in poor country like Malawi. They don’t know what you are trying to help them
At this point, government could say please wear pants and the opposition and judges would walk naked just to prove a point.
By the time you accept a lockdown , the number of cases will be not less than 300. and it will spread like bush fire.
There is an audio clip in which Trapence was cornered by a South African reporter. Trapence should be better prepared. There are in fact a number of effective measures against Covid such as Social Distancing, increased testing to know exactly the extent of infection in a country, contact tracing, quarantining of positive people and their immediate contacts, observing strict hygiene, curtailing of high risk activities etc. DPP and the South African reporter want to give the impression that lockdown is the ONLY solution to reducing the impact of Covid 19. It is not. In fact some of the most successful countries,e.g. Taiwan, South Korea, Hong Kong, have achieved high levels of success WITHOUT A LOCKDOWN. Finally a good way of dealing with an obnoxious reporter is to turn the table on him. Trapence could have asked the reporter if the South African lockdown has been an unmitigated success? There have been many reports of rioting and looting – the very same things we want to avoid in Malawi.
Trapence will face many hostile interviews. My advice is prepare the same way people prepare for a court trial. Rehearse hostile interviews BEFORE they happen for real. You are doing a good job; do not mess up by appearing to be clueless about the issue you are fighting for…
I agree with you…quite disappointing as it seemsnhe didn’t know how to answer the questions…ill prepared.
Bola ikachema idzingopha atumbuka ndi achewafe amene tikuti ndi zabodzafe!
Ku mpoto kulibe any case ya corona Kayambila mtundu wa ankhonde karonga imeneyo, mtundu wa achina mtambo a mwaulambiya ndi inayonse yaku chitipa, Ife atumbuka rumphi ameneyo angoni mzimba ameneyo Luthera nkhatabay atonga sorry tilibekaye ma viruses a corona tikumva kwainu komabe njila zopewela tikuyesesa kudzisatila Kuti tisatenge sorry kwambiri. Mutha kupanga lockdown konko kumwera Kwanu konko. Si muli ndi pitala akupatsani zonse Kuti musafe ndi njala
The Judiciary needs some serious revamping. Tumbuka Judges r so Anti Govt. They must go!
They don’t have a problem even to leave today tell your tippex president to employ mlakho judges he is the boss, has so many from your mlakho working in tea farms and nandolo they can fit in judiciary’s as judges that tumbukas
I hope for your own sake that you stop this nonsense judge. People will dies and you will be ‘singulary’ responsible! help come up with constructive ideas about helping our country not senseless emotional destruction from loud mouths! we are in trouble people! we will perish as a country! where are we going to get ventilators when the disease is in full swing!
Please re consider Tapence. Let the country lockdown and then discuss and help each other how you support the citizens! you are being short sited!!!!
Ventillators should come from the funds that were given to government…
That is not a big problem so long as the coronavirus is lalready ocked up !
Akuwoneka machacha pano alekeni akagwidwa iwowo ndi azibale mpamene adziwe kuti corona is real. Kodi akulu sananene mawu kuti “tsiku lakupsa nyumba sitipukuta magalasi” Why delaying the process and govt was clear that some measures will be looked into while this has been implemented. Look at South Africa it this time when they are now distributing packages to ppo but it is after about three weeks and police were beating everyone found breaking the lockdown order. Kodi a malawi tinatani? Inu a Chakwera ndi Chilima tulukani poyera and tell ur supporters that corona is real. I heard today Kumkuyu amakagawa ma mask ku chikwawa and sopo if u say corona kulibe and that boma likunama why are u distributing those items? You hypocrties and know this and i repeat God can never, never, never, never entrust you with leadership over malawi that i can challenge. Remember God amawona mumtima wosati kunja yayi so God is looking inside you about what your plans are bcoz you are there kutchuka pandale that is bad. Muthetsa mtundu wanu chigawo chino chapakati bcoz its where most ppo are saying corona kulibe. Ndikumva chisoni kwambiri!!!!!!
Bulutu iwe, @ Chataika.
Usuta mukanali ana ndikumene kukupwetekani. Why asking The Big two about Coronavirus while they are the ones who first distribute the PPE? Mwagwa nayo odala game, Tipex too much! Mwayamba zomaduwa, fwetseki chokani mbava inu, zipitani, mwatitopetsa. Inu ndi amene mwaononga mbili ya banja la Mutharika, mwaipitsa mbiri yamunthu wabwino Peter Mutharika. Anthu oipa inu.
Please…they never said kulibe corona…and yesnthey have bn educating people on the importance of hand washing and use of masks, etc…big problem here is insufficient testing being done, resources just disappearing and no controls at the borders…thats the first thing that should have bn done…close the borders
Exactly, the room that the corona virus needs breath. Be ready for those exponential curves you have been watching from your lounges on CNN.
But this:
When we make choices like these we are making statements. The statement has been made that we would rather allow the virus take its course in our country. we are saying let 85% plus of our population get it, we will bear with the 16 million plus having it, we will also bear with the 3 million plus that will get very sick from and the 50,000 deaths that will comprise mostly of our parents and those who carry chronic conditions. We are saying let them go and let those of us who are fit continue enjoying our lives even if we could have saved them by less strict-fasting for only three weeks.
I am certainly not among those declaring this! I am for a Lockdown now! Judge Kenyatta, hear me!
This is very good way, the Judge will order the Government to do the following things,
(1) Lockdown should take place to save the lives of many Malawians, then the Government has to release fund to buy food for the people.
(2) Since the Government is not interested to fight against the virus, the Court with the stakeholders shall ask the Parliament to choose the Task Force because the Country is on Autopilot.
(3) The funds from well wishers shall be put in place to buy PPE for our beautiful and hard working Doctors.
(4) We will start again doing the Tests and make sure that every citizens is complying with the rules of the game.
Kikkkkkk a Kaphale mwayambapo zo maduwa? Ndiye kuti tiziduwa eti? Mbava zimatero zikasowa pogwila.
In fact there should be no lockdown in Malawi.It looks like there’s no convid-19 in Malawi.The only coronavirus available
in Malawi is a man-made called political- convid-20-Dpp.Meaning it’s a coronavirus that the DPP wishing Malawians to have in this 2020.The real coronavirus that has affected almost 2.7 million around the world it’s not yet in Malawi.How can these politicians politicise the disease which spreads like wildfire.The disease that has caused most strong economies of the world to come to its knees.The disease that can kill atleast 900 people in just 24 hrs.Clever people are wearing masks,observing social distance and washing hands with soap for 20 seconds akagwira china chilichonse.To all DPP cadets stop accussing the judges.Without judges granting that injunction to the HRDC people would have been already started dying coz most vulnerable citizens do not have money and food.Some cadets your comments shows that u do have money and food u can survive 21day lockdown.Remember not everyone has food and money so the government was supposed to bring solutions to shortages of of in most homes of malawians.Get this into your empty heads.
I pray to God Almighty that He should visit Kenyatta and the judiciary in a different way,to wake up in the morning to realize that GOD IS STILL ON THE THRONE.(AM SERIOUS NO JOKING) .WE HAVE SUFFERED HEAVELY UNDER THESE JUDGE’S
WHY MOST OF TUMBUKA JUDGES ARE HEARD HEARTED AND CRUEL??????.IAM A NORTHERNER SIAM ONE IF THEM,BUT THUS VREED OF JUDGES IS MIREPRESENTING MY TRIBE. DONT WE HAVE ELDERS AND WISE CHIEFS IN OUR REGION TO SPEAK TO THESE JUDGES.???????TIFATU IFE ABALE
Ogo kalanga pemphero lija? Kikkkkkkkk ili lokha or Satana walikanaso. Ndiye poti ndayankha ndine, this means ndava ndine.
Church cha anthu akufa chimenecho.
Hahaha pray to which god 😂 God😂 unfortunately corona virus doesn’t see the character of the person . sorry it’s an airborne contaminants
Coronavirus is terribly dangerous and its here in Malawi. The problem is not with Kenyatta Nyirenda or Hrcd or other groups BUT the main issue here is that Dpp have used COVID -19 as their weapon to avoid Elections to be held. The Army should read their books between lines. They too have lawyers and not just shooting anyhow. They should differ their services with police. Army should be highly respected and not diluted like what we see now. They protect all citizens of the country if attacked by outsiders. Police have full capacity hence available in all districts in Malawi. This country is too small to be handled in this manner.
@ kholaniwa, you’re very wrong, you’re putting the blame away from where it was supposed to be. Has the DPP said there will be no elections? Election materials are printed in foreign countries which currently are under lockdown, the planes are grounded. So if you have any means of getting those materials go and get them so that by July we should have the elections.
Hrdc and Kenyatta agreed that there should be no lockdown so the government has simply accepted that meaning if death starts to strike don’t point a finger on government they do their part.
Blame hrdc and Kenyatta
Awa ndi matenda sindale ayi.
Nde muwona kuti mupanga bwanji
It’s only in Malawi where politics on corona virus has taken centre stage with opposition and their so called SCOs opposing anything from Govt. What should be known is that Governments all over the world are the ones dealing with Convid 19 and not political parties. So whether judgement or no judgement, corona is here.
Let govt. call for voluntary Lockdown just like washing hands and social distancing.
Just waiting for the news from State House. My lockdown starts now.
KKKKKKKK !! Makape
the chief justice must move in to break this veiled racketeering. hrdc must foot their own legal bills. we the taxpayers cannot go on paying for hrdc legal fees especially this case where we don’t approve this injunction.
Koma Kaphale wakupatsani puzzle… So the courts only heard HRDC and Co 😂
should anything happen to the masses this kenyatta and hrdc should be ready to carry the cross. it looks like the Government is no longer interested in the lockdown.
Blame yourself, you know how to protect yourself. a month after lockdown people are still dying in UK, USA etc. Lock yourself down if you can
Govt. should continue with current preventive measures i.e distancing, washing hands and in partular border closure. If govt. has stopped thinking let it give way to others that have brains!!!!
It is good that HDRC applied for an injuction. Had there been no injuction there would have been demonstrations and lootings.
Good luck Mr Kenyatta and company you will need it when Corona deaths becomes common place
Covid 19 or no covid 19 it is foolish to do things like wild animals. We are human beings and should behave as such. Plan everything properly. So that everyone is carried along. Foolishness abounds in our government that’s why they can’t see sense in what Kenyatta is saying.
A bunch of Lunatics. You think Corona is a joking matter. Wait n see the deadly results of this Corona thing on mother malawi.
Hope you will be spared. You should be one of those who have already stock-piled food and other neccesities. No problem Lockdown yourself!!!!
does Kenyatta know what we do with public servants who do cooperate? we send them to our embassy in India…….
MWATINJI APA?
Kkkkkkkkk nzaku India sitingazitsatile apo ayi China
Fortunately it is not so easy to remove a Judge. Otherwise all judges would have been removed by now (and sent to India or elsewhere) and replaced with judges whose surnames begin with “Na” eg, Namathanga, Nakhumwa, Nazombe, Nandolo, Namangale, Nantheleza, Namagonya, etc etc – you get the picture).
On a serious note, it is really the DPP govt that is not serious with Covid 19. How can they send back people who test positive back into the general population? Are they for real? Why prepare all these “Isolation Units” if they are not going to use them? I thought the idea was to isolate/quarantine positive people until it was determined that they couldn’t go on infecting others? For how long does DPP expect to get away with this charade?
Abwana hunger is more dangerous than covid-19 believe me. You are talking like that supporting the lockdown chifukwa mwakhuta. how long can you survive without eating anything? and not just you, your wife, your kids…
Just try now not eating anything until Judge Kenyatta Nyirenda makes his ruling on Wednesday.
Dont be fooled by the Attorney General and the President and the Ministers. They have fridges full of sausages, meats , and chambo….
Even by their appearance you can see that anthuwa amadya bwino
And they want you to go hungry.
Why cant they just give you food during the lockdown?. Personally, I can be in lockdown for one year, if they want as long as they give me food for one year or the means to be fed for one year.
Abwana even murderers, thieves and rapists in prison are given food by the same government!
@ Wadabwa, leave these idiots man, they are just idiots, so idiots will be idiots even if you take him to the bathroom he is idiot, idiots are idiots. The whole World has been affected with this virus and seriously you can not mix the one who is positive with others, this is total madness. The reason they didn’t insolate them is because they know that the mentioned people are not positive, that is why they are home. Quarantine is the first step to do if you are doubting someone who is coming from out side your country, then you test the person whom you quaranted, if the person is positive, you isolate him and start treatment, don’t forget we can just be treating the symptoms not the actual virus because there is not treatment of this virus.
Mbuzi ya Mano kumusi iwe. Mwana wa Ku chibwezi iwe eti
So you think Nundwe is or will suffer in India? Ndinu ma cadet ndi adadi anu muone nyekwe pakuti sitinathane nanu. You will taste the coffee
Lockdown yourself voluntarily
Are you trying to say “those who don’t cooperate” or those who cooperate? Maudindo opereka pofuna kupherera mabvuto. Eish!