Malawi Law Society offers mediation between HRDC, police over demos
Malawi Law Society (MLS) has offered to mediate between the anti-Jane Ansah protest organisers and the police following police Inspector General Rodney Jose decision to ban the demonstrations.
A statement from MLS says the lawyers body is concerned that the two parties are deliberating issues of national concern through the media.
“We are ready to offer legal advice,” says MLS.
MLS has come under intense criticism for its partisan stance towards the government and ruling party on some issues.
The MLS letter comes as the High Court in Lilongwe is on Monday expected to rule on whether the protests should be banned or the demo organisers pay K2 billion as applied by the attorney general on behalf of the police IG.
HRDC says the police IG has no constitutional powers to order the ban of peaceful protests in the country.
Meanwhile, MLS president Burton Mhango and secretary Martha Kaukonde,have issued a letter which has painted a gloomy picture of the country’s economy due to the political impasse following the announcement of the May 21 Tripartite Election results.
MLS said its position is based on the fact that Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) chairperson Jane Ansah is refusing to resign.
“The practical implication of all this appears to the Law Society to be that the situation of uncertainty is bound to last for some time and bears with it the risk of erupting into ungovernable situation adverse to public interest with potential significant risk to vulnerable groups such as children and people with disability,” reads part of the letter.
Dated July 30 2019 titled Management of Electoral Complaints and Determination of Electoral Results Concerning Presidential Elections of 21 May 2019, the letter has been addressed to the Reserve Bank, Bankers Association of Malawi, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Malawi, Consumers Association of Malawi and Indigenous Business Association of Malawi.
UTM Party and Malawi Congress Party (MCP) are disputing the May 21 presidential election results while Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) is continuing with demonstrations until MEC chairperson Ansah resigns for allegedly mismanaging the results.
Last month, MLS issued another letter, urging political parties, including President Peter Mutharika, to prepare their followers for the outcome of the case which may go either way.
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guys we have to be very careful MALAWI LAW SOCIETY they are like chameleon dont trust them and they should not interfear thusrdays case coz the belong to mutharika
Burton Mhango law firm is representing Wa Jeffrey in a case between Callister Vs MBC Vs Grezeder Wa Jeffrey so what else do we expect? It was telling that th judgement that was made recently by the constitution court only quoted th Womens lawyerz. Ths shows how irrelevant MLS has become. REST IN PEACE MLS.
PAC is the body that we trust to do mediation not MLS the DPP stoogies why is everybody supporting DPP is challenging us demostrating mukuonekatu kuti mbwiyanu akusowa tulo ku state house chifukwa chotibera mavoti athu chauta akamufulatira munthu wafulatira basi.
Mr Burton Mhango, just enjoy the presidential and DPP handouts that bring that subtle smiling upon your lips. Go ahead with your earlier ‘threat’ to the leadership of the CSOs that represent 62% of the Malawians that are aggrieved with your illegitimate government. Do not abandon your earlier course of action. Shame on you MLS. Your new name is DPPLS!!!!
Liar!! Which 62% is the CSOs representing? They are representing MCP and UTM.
MLS inatha fungo basi.who told these cadets that the issue is btn HDRC and police? Mwati ndi ma lawyer amenewadi?
May be they do not know the objectives of this grouping, check who formed that.We do not want to her you.Courts are already there.We will see you when you fellow lawyers rob us.
MLS did a similar role in 2014 and they benefited a lot – they made statements as if they were protecting truth and they got away with it. In 2019 they are doing the same but now we have realised that they do not represent Malawians! They call themselves friends of the court but they are friends of DPP and enemies of Malawians. Be informed that its now too late it will take time for MLS to be trusted.
A Law Society mwatha fashion, mwaonetseratu kuti ndinuyo nanunso munalandila ndrama ku dpp. Dikilani pa chiwiri pano.
Ma loya a ku Malawi and their society are imbeciles!
Shaa! When we say there is intellectual and moral bankruptcy in Malawi Law Society some of you think we are just critical of this organization. Look now they say they want to mediate on some matter which doesnt require mediation at all. Freedom to conduct demonstrations is enshrined in the constitution and is not in any way a product of any understanding between any parties. This leadership of Law Society needs to be disbanded soonest before the profession is tainted further.
What has this MLS become? Legal advisers for DPP? Legal arm of DPP? What is there to mediate for? Lawyers, you are sucking big time.
Only DPP people trust Malawi Law Society.
Malawi need a complete overhaul of all institutions which are supposed to be the guardians, champions and enforcers of the law. These institutions have become DPP tools for oppressing and victimising Malawians; The Police, MLS, ACB, MEC, MBC, MERA, MACRA ,the Civil Service and the many others.
In Malawi, there is no rule of law. There are no credible legal institutions – all of them have lost the credibility. As the president has too much powers as per Malawian law, I can foresee a constitutional crisis one day. If the court orders a re-run, would the same people at MEC, be responsible to execute the elections? Will the Police be trusted to safeguard the election process? People have have zero trust in MEC and the Police. There will be massive voter apathy if there are no major changes to the entire system.
Currently, it is apparent and clear that Malawi has an illegitimate President; the President who is running around, hiding from people he is supposed to govern. The future is very gloomy not because of the demos but because of the stubborn thieving DPP. Send Jane Ansah packing, people will be off the streets. In countries where there is genuine democracy, Jane Ansah would have been forced to resign just by the photos of her standing side by side with DPP supporters. Only in Malawi, the politicians and people in power get away with murder. The future is indeed dark for Malawi.
Malawi has to start from scratch. DPP should never be allowed to do any politics once it gets kicked out. These people have caused so much damage to the beautiful country. Malawi has massive potential to excel economically and socially. The problem is there are too many people in power who are just clueless and don’t know how to govern in order for all the citizens to benefit. All they do is for the benefit of themselves and their families.
‘Corruption shall Prevail’ ……..here
Spot on Wawathu! These DPP political thugs have worked extremely hard to deploy their loyal infidels in almost every important institutions of our already ‘bleeding’ motherland. They have substantially weakened the Police Force as a very vital security organ. It has become toothless. It cannot investigate criminal activities that involve DPP operatives! The only security organ that has escaped the DPP evil infiltration is the MDF. But presently the President is frantically and desperately reshuffling and making redeployments and suspicious promotions just less than three months of his illegitimate presidency. What does he hope to achieve?? There is one more institution though that is set to topple this illegitimate government…..the masses of the aggrieved! 62% of them! Infiltrate the masses with bribes?? MISSION IMPOSSIBLE!!!
Cadet Burton Mhango uli padiwa,u think u r a clever black, just go and negotiate with Jeni Answer to step down that’s the only job u can succeed.
Lero munena izi mawa munena izo. indetu, indetu, ndinena ndi inu: you seen to have contracted tippexiosis
Now it is tippexiosis! I need my old Chambers Dictionary!
What a waist of time. The answer to al these problems is a rerun. Now i understand why this country is not developing. Too much stupidity in government and governance bodies. Look people have taken over their power and are waiting for a rerun. None of you have power to influence the femos. Infact Mtambo has accepted the fact thats why they love him. HRDC is the only organization that has the mandate from the people. Stop this nonsense and call for s terun. Peace will rerun
.
HRDC has the mandate from who? has mandate from you, not “the people”. Nonsense
‘Corruption shall Prevail’
There is no point to offer legal advice when both MEC and HRDC have lawyers who do exactly the same thing. Unless we are told that the understanding of the law by Lawyers from both entities is shallow, then I would find MLS’ relevance to intervene.