Court grants attorney general order for councils to take full control of bus depots

Government has finally wrestled all bus depots from business magnate Leston Mulli who illegally got them through his high level connections with the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) when the party was in power.

Attorney General Thabo Chakaka-Nyirenda said an order granted by the High Court Civil Registry on Wednesday stops National Bus Services Limited from dealing in any way with bus depots it claims it owns.

The order follows another High Court order made in Blantyre on Friday last week, which discharged permission for a judicial review granted to National Bus Services, also in favour of the AG.

In Wednesday’s order under civil cause number 22 of 2022, the court has instructed National Bus Services not to deal with Wenela Bus Depot, in Blantyre, Lilongwe/Malangalanga Bus Depot, Mzuzu Bus Depot and workshop, Kasungu Boma and Mzimba Boma bus terminals.

“The defendant [National Bus Services] should forthwith account for all gate pass and all proceeds collected from users and/or those who accessed properties enlisted [in this order],” the order reads in part.

The court further asked the AG, representing Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, to make arrangements with relevant authorities/councils to oversee smooth operations of the enlisted properties.

On Friday last week, Judge Mandala Mambulasa in Blantyre discharged the permission for judicial review  granted to National Bus Services and condemned it with costs.

Chakaka-Nyirenda in an interview said that what the court’s order means is that the Ministry of Local Government was now at liberty to start managing the bus depots.