Aford sues Paladin for allegedly causing cancer and death in North Malawi: Chihana says UK lawyers to work ‘pro-bono’
Alliance for Democracy (Aford) an opposition party with its base in the northern part of Malawi has sued Paladin, uranium miners at Kayerekera in Karonga for a K350 million for allegedly causing cancer and death to some people.
Lawyers from United Kingdom, who were in the country for preliminary investigations on the classic lawsuit have since left the country.
The five lawyers, three black and two white on Friday refused to give details on their mission in Malawi saying this would jeopardize their job.
However, Alliance for Democracy (Aford) president Enoch Chihana said the lawyers will work pro bono and would only be paid after the successful suit.
“As Aford, we are pursuing the matter n behalf of the people of Karonga and the people of the north as well as the people of Malawi. Paladin has been careless, this is why some people contracted cancer,” he said.
He said the lawyers were in the country contacting the victims of the Kayekera Uranium mine and relatives of those who died due to cancer because of the mine for documentation.
Paladin closed the mine some two years ago amid uranium price slump.
“The summons will find them in Australia,” said Chihana.
He said the lawyers are expected to go to court in London in six months time after an extensive investigation on the matter.
He claimed there are many people suffering from cancer in Karonga due to the effects of the uranium mine.
“There are still some people in hospital suffering from cancer due to the mine, others have been discharged to die at home while others are already in their graves. The lawyers are here to document all that before the commencement of the K350 million classic lawsuit,” said Chihana.
Officials from the office of the Attorney General said they could only comment after the lawsuit is filed while Paladin officials could not be reached for their comment on Saturday morning.
Chihana however threatened to take the government to court as well if the investigators establish it was an accomplice to the Paladin negligence.
“After all, the government sealed a contract with Paladin on the mine whose details were not made available to the people of Karonga,” he said.
Chihana said proceeds from the successful lawsuit would be used to develop Karonga after, he said, Paladin shunned its social responsibility to develop the district.
Information minister Nicholas Dausi said he could only comment after the suit has been filed.
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There is very high foolishness in Malawi as read in some of these comments.
Are the people in Karonga , Malawians or Not? This issue of Paladin misuse of the Karonga resources should affect every Right thinking Malawian. Ena akunena zopusa zenizeni. We need people who can understand and appreciate these things to the benefit of the Malawians who have suffered in Karonga. Why can’t we fight Paladin as Malawians. Were some people benefiting from this crooked deal? My appeal would be DO NOT LOOK AT THIS ISSUE AS AN AFFORD ISSUE OR CHIHANAS’. No , no!!! Look at it as it affected and still affects fellow Malawians in Karonga. It should not be an issue whether Karonga is in the North. Even if it was in the West or South or East. The basis should be did Malawians suffer because of Paladin? If the answer is yes, let us pursue the matter with a sober thinking. Never think in the box of DPPor I am from the South……….NO, No, NO!!!
Fellow Malawians, remember that every country on Earth has, North, South, East and West. But the Nationals never look at that for Development. Only very short sighted fools would think like that. My Goodness, when shall we have a Malawian Leader to Lead Us??? May God help us!!!!!!
hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah koma amtumbuka phuma
This is a national concern,it’s not about politics the way some with misguided minds put their comments.Karonga is not only habitated by northerners let alone the North.Kutukwanidzana tinayamba ndi kale ,kodi Malawian S what have we achieved and benefited.
Good move adada Achihana.Its only Bingu who benefited from the 10% from the Kayelekera proceeds.Kayelekera hasn’t made any dent to people of Karonga other than leaving them with illnesses like cancer and destryoing their environment little by little.These are Australians would never make you benefits from your resources as the way they treated the aborigines and the people from the Island of Pacific Nauru who never benefitted from their resources.Africa resources are for Africans.
Are you saying 350 billion Malawi Kwacha or 350 million Malawi Kwacha. This is good move. Last year I wondered one of lecturers from Chancellor College arguing at one of the places that Kayelekera mine had no harm. When this is done same investigations should be done for Mchenga, Kanyika etc. Victims have to be compensated…also using money to develop Karonga and other districts is good but the money might be subjected to another mine gate.
Story without facts… Mr. Chihana, wake up please… And can K350 Million development Karonga?
Osamanamiza anthu. And pomwepo mudzalipire ma Lawyers!!! Hehehehehe…
Good News if it is not a political gain.
The problem with Malawian leaders enter into mineral extraction contracts without consulting other countries that have similar ventures.
The new Gas and Oil extraction contracts are already in favour of the foreign companies who will drain out the resources at a peanut benefit to the country and the citizens. It is therefore imperative that the civil society organisations stop these deals and start again transparently.
I would suggest that before drilling takes place, ensure that Refinery Plants are constructed in Malawi and no raw materials be exported out of the beloved warm heart of Malawi. Our minerals in African continent are exploited by the white minority and leaving citizens in abject poverty.
Anyokopala you can’t win such a case mark my words
My fellow Tumbuka people. You are sueimng Palladian in order to raise Mk 100m for convention.
You put.us to shame. Who is to use is it the party or the people affected.
Mungosamukako mukamange nyumba zanu Ku nchenga urea kapena Ku Nsanje
Really? MK350m would not even be what the lawyers would get!!!! That’s peanuts! You do you mean USD35om?????
It would be sub judice to comment once the hearing commences in court. Please comment now Hon. Dausi.
Dinya Dinya. Tazamudinya na vote
K350m is not enough. If there’s evidence available, increase the amount to at least $200m.
mwanyozeka kokwana
ambwenumbwenu
kayerekera wakuberani
kaziwiziwi wakuberani
chikangawa wakuberani
chenjerani kwabwera LAND REFORM LAW
Akulandani MALO kumeneko nkugulitsa kwa amwenye maburundi ndi masomali paja kwaoko
malo adatha kalekale !!
ANAKULONJEZANI
MZUZU STADIUM KULI ZII
MZUZU AIRPORT KULI ZII
MOMBERA VERSITY KULI ZII
Tulo atumbuka. Especially wadada Gondwe! Maudindo awo amafunika ife achitonga.
Mpaka mbata yalira. na uko zili kunjila ndalama za Kayerekera na Chikangawa Forest kukuwoneka yayi. Panyakhe ndizo wakapanganga Kashigeti. Malawi kufika lero nge wali kutukuka, kweni wazenga waka mawono ku Thyolo na Sukulu. Ndalama zakufuma kuKaronga na Mzimba. Chalu ntchinonono ichi.
Will the proceeds be compensation to the victims or development of Karonga? Will k350 milio enough for the so called development Mr Chihana? How about the handling/or successful closure of the mine? Do not politicise the kayerekera issue as one Mhone did with March 1959 victims. Let the lawyers do their without your unnecessary revelations!
Now AFORD is talking! Adada Chihana uku ndiko kuyowoya!!Imwe ndimwe BIg Man mulala mukitiyimilira!! Please work hard to bring back the old glory of AFORD, when all the 36 MPs in the North belonged to AFORD. Thats the only way our politicians from the North can be respected. Mu umoza muli nkhongono!!
Mxxxxxx m’nganya uyunso
How many have so far died.
This is cheap politics…..It is a political propaganda trying to gain political mileage on expense of the dead people if indeed they died of cancer due to exposure to the mine enterprise in a once dominated AFORD territory…..komatu nde mwauponda mwamva. How could you say mukawina mulandu ndalama mugwiritsa ntchito to develope Karonga and not compensating the family members of the dead, Bwana Enock ndizimene mwanamizana ndi Bwana Frank? Tikuonerani tilipo ife….
Good move by Aford. The people were fooled by excitement and could not follow up while Paladin moved the uranium to wherever. It is after sometime that a sense of realization crept in when it was too late and the guys closed the mine having got what they wanted. Malawians should not repeat such mistakes. Wake up Malawi. and make tangible agreements with these so called foreign investing companies.