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… Read more »
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… Read more »
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