Malawi musicians obtain court order against  government over Covid-19 measurers

A group of musicians in Lilongwe has obtained a court order halting enforcement of a ban on gatherings of more than 100 people to curb the resurgence of coronavirus (Covid-19) as they argue the restriction on public gatherings unfairly affects scheduled festive season concerts.

The temporary relief follows an announcement by Presidential Taskforce on Covid-19 after a jump in confirmed cases of the virus.

The  musicians, who include Lulu, Kell Kay, Dan Lu, Skeffa Chimoto and Great Angels, hired lawyer Innocent Kubwalo to obtain the injunction.

Kubwalo said  some of  his clients had already hired international musicians to perform during their planned concerts.

The lawyer said the injunction means all social gatherings lined up across the country can proceed.

Announcing the measures Tuesday, the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 said the aim was to curb cases of the disease, which have risen by 75% over the past two weeks.

But lawyer Kubwalo said by announcing the restrictions, the Presidential Taskforce on COVID -19 flouted procedures, saying before any  subsidiary legislation is made,  “it must be laid before parliament, which has not been done.”

Kubwalo said: “And in our opinion, the powers to make such rules in this particular case, they lie in the minister, not the committee. So the committee doesn’t have those powers in our opinion.”

Minister of Information Gospel Kazako, who is the spokesperson for  the government, said the Tonse alliance administration will obey the court order.

The High Court in Lilongwe has set December 31 for hearing on the matter and also to decide whether the injunction should be extended or not.