Cdedi takes Malawi govt to court over new restrictions similar to lockdown

August 10, 2020 Watipaso Mzungu -Nyasa Times 102 Comments

Well! You will be rightly forgiven for thinking that Malawi as a nation is another Travelling Theatre Company.The Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI) is scheduled to move the courts for contempt of court against government over the gazetting of the subsidiary legislation on coronavirus disease (Covid-19) preventive measures.

Attorney General Chikosa Silungwe (r) announced new measures
Cdedi executive director Silvester Namiwa

CDEDI acting executive director Sylvester Namiwa told Nyasa Times after meeting a lawyer on Sunday night that the gazetted subsidiary legislation is in fact a lockdown, which the court stopped its implementation until a judicial review is undertaken.

“CDEDI has been compelled to move the courts because the preventive measures have shamelessly disregarded a court order that stopped the same to allow for clear strategies on provision of safety nets to cushion the negative effects of a lockdown. We will not sit back and watch the Tonse Alliance government violate the rights of the people by taking advantage of the stable political environment to introduce pieces of legislation that are unilateral and lacking consultation,” said Namiwa.

He warned that the measures as spelt out by the Minister of Health, Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda in Lilongwe on Sunday, have the potential to suffocate businesses, leading to loss of jobs among Malawians.

Namiwa added that it is sad that President Lazarus Chakwera, who rejected a lockdown when he was in opposition, has decided to backtrack on his stand on the matter ‘because he is now in the comfort of the presidency’.

“CDEDI continues to maintain its position that government should clearly spell out cushion measures for people that have seriously been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. CDEDI has noted with disappointment that government has now come up with sugar-coated lockdown measures without spelling out how the affected people will be cushioned,” he said in a telephone interview.

Namiwa has since disclosed that their lawyers are doing paperwork to enable them secure a court order, stopping government from implementing the subsidiary legislation until it spells out the measures for alleviating the poor.

Attorney General Chikosa Silungwe said the new rules  give power to the Minister of Heakth  to declare an area with  high  Covid-19 cases restricted.

In such areas, recreation centres, workplaces and other facilities will remain closed, and movements in such areas will be restricted.

Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :
Follow us in Twitter

102 replies on “Cdedi takes Malawi govt to court over new restrictions similar to lockdown”

  2. Mwati mumati zingatani, asapesa akutsogoleqa zinthu. Achakwera adakamphunzira, momwemonso nduna zawo.

  3. We are still waiting for the court injunction. I said it here kuti these people are taking advantage kuti we have people with questionable mental capabilities in our media houses and they are fooling them. You don’t write stories chifukwa wina wake wanena kuti apita ku court. No. You wait until they file the court papers and kenako ndimmene umalemba. Nyasatimes and all media houses should grow some balls and stop beng played like fools.

  4. Where is HRDC sale out organization yopanda chilungamo kumutundu wa a malawi
    Mtambo sold out by giving him a ministerial position
    Eish my country is dying slowly.

  9. Abusa Chakwera please spare us from the “Doggy style”. We don’t want it from behind!!! Lawyer Kamchedzera observed that Your doggy laws have no space in Malawi. Follow the right procedure Mr learner president. Abeg ooo!!

  10. Koma able, minister m’mutu ngati wa mental. Zinazi atsogoleri akanalowerelapo. Ndani angalemekeze nyansi ngati izi? Kumvetsa chisoni!!

  15. Kodi mukuti anyani amenewa ndi akuti? Mmene timafikyika ma Demo anali kuti analikukuti ana a njoka? Sakuona kuti Dpp nyekhwe lockdown ndi izi ndi zosiyana? Wakutuma Ben Phiri ndi Mchacha . Bola mulandiliretu akamamgidwa sakupatsani

  16. This is why democracy doesn’t work in Africa – too much freedom to advocate nonsense.
    Were I Citizen One, I would just declare a state of emergency and do what needs to be done. Enough of this hoo haa and let’s get on with some real movements in the country

    1. You were clapping hands for HRDC dzana lija for the same nonsense, hetii? Zaipa lero chifukwa mukulamula ndiinu? That’s democracy and it’s associated freedoms and rights my friend, get used to it fast.

  17. The measures put in place are just similar to what dpp had advocated for and hrdc went to court and today it is quiet SHAAAAAME on u trapence ndi sembereka wakoyo. DPP allowed church gatherings by allowing not more than 100 congregants as long as there is 1m distance apart each member. Now look today the law says if a church will have more than 10 members despite having masks and observe 1m distance are not allowed to worship. Kodi apa between dpp and tonse alliance amene akutseka ma church ndi ndani? Inu a PAC tell chakwera kuti izi nzosamveka or pang’ono bcoz the same ppo were saying eeee dpp ikuletsa anthu kupemphera how yet today akuti maliro anthu 50 which is similar to what dpp said. Jappie Mhango and Botomani used to tell malawians kuti let us not politicse covid lero kazako amene amadziyerekeza ngati wotha kulankhula amvekere eeee malawians lets join hands together and not politicise covid is this strange to us and yet anzanuwa you criticized them left and right. iye kazako amvekerenso eeee in our committee tiri ndi wa opposition kodi in last covid committeee Lowe anali wa chipani cholamula? Kodi bwanji mukumafuna kuyesa zida? Know this kuti what courts and opposition did to APM mukulola and God will punish heavily bcoz tonse ikanayamba ndikulapa bcoz u were the same ppo mumanena kuti covid moti APM is using covid a scapegoat for elections so today ndiye mwayidziwa covid bcoz u r in power? this is nonsense at its best!!!! We are watching and come 2025 malawians will judge accordingly pa judicial coup u did

  18. This is nonsense…..I am not a lawyer……were there mask in the first lockdown…who is restricted not to move around…ikadazabwera lockdown iwe sungapite kwa Lawyer wakoyo…you will be restricted……The country is going the wrong down my brother…anthu akufa…lockdown yanu ija kunali anthu angati akufa…put national interest patsogolo inu

    2. You must be stupid. So you wanted so many people to die first for you accept that there is covid-19 in Malawi and allow lockdown? Accept first that you acted like embiciles while in opposition by frustrating every government move to contain COVID-19 other than the stupid justifications you are making now because you in power. Mudya masanzo anu agalu inu ife sitisekelera zopepera zanuzo. By saying only 10 people to congregate in church, people to access beer pubs and food from restaurants on ‘Take Away’ basis is the same lockdown you vehemently protested together with your youth leaguers at HRDC. Ndisanvenso zoti “..this is nonsense…”, wanva zoba iwe?

    3. Bcs its Nyau government now you have changed the tune,ur the same people you were demonstrating with the so calke HRDC now u want the same lockdown without covid funds to the poor.

    4. Cool down my friend. There is no need to panic. Your stupid president told the nation that there is no Covid and nobody if dying. He has to apologize first if he is a human being and then ask people to adhere to new measures

    6. There is no single proof that lockdowns help in curbing the spread of this China flu other than crippling the economy and suffocating the livelihood of innocent citizens

  19. Nyasatimes should have waited for them to go to court first otherwise they will be playing you. They cannot go to court on the basis of the injunction taken by HRDC. They were not part of it and have no leg to stand on. Let them ask them pray for their own court injunction.

    1. ukunamatu iwe, which kind law is that? anyone can any court and cite that HRDC case, the court will decide, period!

  20. MCP is doing exactly what DPP was stopped to do. But at least DPP had better lockdown mitigating plans for the underprivileged. So, should we allow this lockdown to happen without cushioning measures to the poor masses just because it is being enforced by MCP? Is that what you call integrity? Bishop Msusa of UTM, is this what you wanted us Malawians to experience? To hell with your lockdown!!!

      1. Open your eyes. It is a lockdown. Are people supposed to go to church normally or any other public place? Are people supposed to hold weddings and funerals

    2. Who is restricted from movement here? One can move freely as long as s/he is wearing a mask. Is that so difficult?

      1. Umbuli wachuluka ku Malawi. This is a lockdown. Can you congregate in your church normally with a mask? Can you have a normal wedding and funeral with a mask.

        1. Ndi bwino kuwoneka mbuli nkuzisungira moyo than kuwoneka ozindikira pamene ukuika pachiwopsezo moyo wako ndi wa anthu ena

        2. Umbuli wachulukadi. Idiots can’t see the importance of wearing masks or avoiding gatherings. This not a lockdown you people. Go to South Africa and see what a lockdown is. No movement, no gathering, you can’t move from one town to another, you can’t go to the office, you can’t leave your house, you can’t buy booze. That’s the meaning of lockdown. Simply limiting the size of gatherings to 10 or 50 is by no means a lockdown

  21. CDEDI is now irrelevant in Malawi, it has been buried with DPP. These are gazetted rules and can pass test in court. Yes, pay back our stolen taxes!!!!

    1. It is irrelevant to you because you are a TONSE hand-clapper and sycophant. Otherwise the restrictions are the same as those of a lockdown that infringe on people’s rights which you idiots cried blue murder a few months ago because it wasn’t you in power. MUSOVENGE

    2. Muyaluka limodzi ndi Kenyatta wanuyo. Posterity is a cruel judge. Kaphale adakuuzani kale kuti the court cannot order the corona virus to stop spreading, pano ndi izi, mungodzipaka bibi a NONSE ALLIANCE, eish!!

    1. This is a democracy my friend, a free country. Tonse sitingaganize kapena kukonda mofana. You don’t need to be anti jane ansah to qualify as cso, that’s clap.

  25. There is no Covid19 in Malawi, Joice Banda and Chilima told us.. We cannot forget all the things you promised us..

    1. We did not promise anything. We were promising the real Malawians and they are eating 3 times a day now.

    2. Kkkk people we are stupid . Frankly at the rate at this pandemic is going and the deaths taking place on daily basis you are talking politics ??? We will all die this is not a govt issue but a matter of life and death. All these pple seeking injunctions must be charged and ISOLATED in jail. Want to risk a whole country in order to get to the front page of a news print?

    3. Covid19 is an evolving situation. The fact that it was not there in May doesn’t mean it’s not there in August

      1. If our leaders were speaking with the same language by then, the situation would not have been as it is today

  26. I said before in my comment to HRDC’s wrong intervention that would have seen Malawi avoid any Covid-19 that Malawi seems to be locked in a Compensation ridden legal utopia without any fruitful rewards. Democracy it seems cannot rule wisely in a nation where every Tom, Dick and Mary is a lawyer. And where Science that is supposed to be leading government advice cannot be understood; given everyone ‘s just looking for loopholes in the advice rather than the merits for civic protection.

    The crossroad can only be passed by a dictatorship government. Should Chakwera invoke Marshall Law emergency powers which quite rightly he can and might be entitled to to protect the nation.

    1. Invoking marshal law would be legally and administratively correct but politically suicidal in the court of public opinion. And Chakwera knows it pretty well that it would invoke memories of the one party MCP dictatorship. Let them try.

  27. Foseki
    The government is doing for the good of the country. You may lose money and make it later but Life when it is gone that’s it.
    So you shut up because l know kuti you are being funded by Mbuyanu Uja wopanda Mamu

    1. DPP government was doing the same for the good of the country. Chakwera and Chilima decided to oppose that. So in a democracy people have the right to challenge the current decision.

    2. We are where we are with COVID because of idiots like you in NONSE ALLIANCE for frustrating covid-19 preventive measures while in opposition. You can’t pretend to be wise today, FOKOLO!

  29. Ankangofuna mpando basitu. Kuyendesa boma si mpingo umenewu ayi. Nkhosa za mlungu zimaziyendesa zokha. Tione komwe zitathere

  30. Pa mpando wa pulezident ku Malawi kuno satana anapakapo minyama. Munthu akangokhalapo amasiya kuganiza ndi mutu.

  32. Government must be careful with this godless Sapesa guy. He has no political acumen. And is too arrogant for most people’s liking.

  33. Mbuzi iwe namiwa kagwere uko. Akutuma agogo ako? This is far from lockdown where everyone elso is forced to be in their homes and hence halting all activities.

    1. By that definition, the Catholic bishops are cadets too? They are the ones who said people should vote for the clueless Chakwera

    2. They are dpp agents because they disagree with mbuzi yanuyi? You want them to be mcp agents like HRDC?

  35. Abale; tawerengani zomwe TAIWANI ikuchita; google and read ”coronasilverbullet” zongovera zomwe China/WHO yanena sizikuthandiza kanthu. Focus on sick people not following where virus is going, its a waster of resources. Its a waste of time to think someone can stop virus buy closing people. this virus has a strange pattern.

    1. Which hospitals will accommodate those sick people? Have you worked in a hospital? The virus does not move on its own. It is carried by humans. Restrict human movements and you limit the spread. Prevention is better than cure!

  38. I am yet to understand what these guys are up to, is mandatory masks, social distancing, washing hands and sanitising not enough to check the spread? What sense is there by banning churches and allowing Pubs to operate?

  42. Truth indeed has to be told as much as we all agree how dangerous this COVID-19 is BUT we must not just do exactly what DPP did. Can’t we try to do things differently cos for sure this is exactly what APM & his Ministers did. Tonse Alliance come up with something different so that atleast people don’t think of going back to Egypt please. I know you can do better guys.

    1. Indeed social distancing maskings and hand washes are enpough please.
      WE WANT TO ATTEND FUNERALS AND CHURCH SERVICES WHILE MAINTAINING SOCIAL DISTANCING.
      IF YOU SAY A MAXMUM OF 10 PEOPLE TO GATHER ,THATS WRONG.

      TO WHICH CHURCH OR CONGREGATION DOES CHIKOSA SILUNGWE GO TO??
      OR TO WHICH GATHERING DOES HE BELONG, ???
      SO ATTONEY GENERAL CHIKOSA SILUNGWE HAS NOTHING TO LOSE.

      WE WANT TO GATHER WHILE ADHERING TO TO MEASURES ALREADY PUT IN PLACE.
      SO THIS IS NOT ON IN OUR NEW REPUBLIC WE FOUGHT FOR.

  43. Cadets fighting back, the good news is that you can’t win……spend your legal fees money at your own peril…..

      2. Are you circumcised? I think you are not too! Well well well well! You see, it’s just too sides of the coin, strict movement is not lockdown chimbudzi iwe!

    3. SO, the Catholic bishops are cadets? Have you forgotten that these same bishops told people to vote for the opposition (TONSE alliance)? Accept that Chakwera is CLUELESS. That time, he and Chilima sent people to get injunction to stop Mutharika’s lockdown. It is right that today, other activists should seek relief in the courts. It’s called DEMOCRACY.

    2. Are you implying the Catholic bishops are Lhomwe. You need to be reminded the bishops told people to vote for TONSE.

  45. This Tonse alliance government will not help us how can they enforce Lockdown measures without consulting the stakeholders.Tonse Alliance are you above the law?Kodi ndimayetsa mumauza anthu anu a Tonse Alliance kuti Corona Virus kulibe why U turn now.Don.t take Malawians for granted.

    2. but have u verify that the stakeholders are not consulted? and do u think each and every pig should be consulted and i heard the kuti pakhalaso kukambirana ku awo mukuwaimilirao.
      dont forget the parties omwe anakatenga injuction siomwe akudandaula zomwe ndikukhulupila kuti they are the parties involved

Comments are closed.