Malawi veep Chilima drags govt to court over protocols, benefits

State vice-president Saulos Chilima has taken secretary to the Office of President and Cabinet and the Inspector General of Police to court for their failure to restore protocols and other benefits to the UTM president following a Constitutional Court ruling two weeks ago.

Chilima’s lawyer Khumbo Soko has confirmed filing contempt of court documents to the court against Cief Secretary to government  Lloyd Muhara and Duncan Mwapasa the police chief respectively.

“Nothing has happened since the court ruling two weeks ago. We wrote the attorney general over the issue so that the relevant authorities take action to restore the benefits.

“He assured us that the OPC and the IG would comply with the court order but nothing is happening up to now,” said Soko.

The Constitutional Court a null the May 21, 2019 presidential election, saying it was marred with irregularities and anomalies that had been so widespread, systematic and grave that the election result had been seriously compromised.

The court then reverted the country to the 2014 presidential election which put president Peter Mutharika and Saulos Chilima into power as state president and state vice president respectively.

This automatically means that Everton Chimulirenji has ceased to be state vice president.

He said Muhara and the OPC are responsible for giving back Chilima his convoy vehicles, the official residence, office, salary and other benefits befitting a state veep while the Inspector General of police is responsible for providing the necessary security detail for the vice president.