Attorney General obtains injunction against construction of K34 chief Malemia house in Zomba

Attorney General Chikosa Sulungwe has obtained a court injunction against construction of official house of Senior Chief Malemia in Zomba district.

According to the injunction seen by Nyasa Times, it was obtained at Zomba High court pending inter party hearing.

Lawyer representing senior chief Malemia, Yusufu Nthenda, confirmed that Attorney General obtained an injunction against his own government which is constructing the house in the area of Senior chief Malemia.

“I was also surprised to see government obtaining injunction against its own project funded by Ministry of Local government and rural development,” said Nthenda.

Nthenda said private lawyers were not supposed to defend chiefs in such scenarios but the same Attorney General was supposed to defend senior chiefs,  adding they are to learn new things in new government.

He said the reason behind the injunction is that the place where the house is being constructed belongs to Domasi Magistrate court.

But Nthenda said the history of the place is that the first senior chief Malemia offered piece of land for the court and other part was still used and owned by the chief during big meetings.

He also told us that the court is currently relying on 2011 map claiming that the whole area belong to them.

Zomba District Commissioner Smart Gwedemula confirmed that the house is being constructed with funding from central government saying the council’s duty is to supervise on any project activity through Director of Public Works.

By the time the injunction was obtained, the construction work of this official house which is done by Fidelis Construction Company was at foundation level.

The court is yet to set the date for the inter-party hearing to be presided over by Judge Redson Kapindu.

Ministry of local government and rural development is constructing official houses for some traditional authorities and senior chiefs in the country including of senior chief Malemia in Zomba.