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.