MRA seek court intervention to restrict Malawi airport demos

Tax collecting body Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) is set to apply to the High Court for an injunction to restrict the highly anticipated August 26 to 30 airport and  border demonstrations which are being organized by the Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC).

The demonstrations are aimed at forcing the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) Chairperson Jane Ansah to step down as a result of the fraudulent May 21 2019 Tripartite Elections.

According to HRDC, the demonstrations will target border posts and major airports.

However, MRA Spokesperson Steve Kapoloma said on Tuesday that their intention is not to call off the protests but rather have a guarantee that the protesters will not in any way demonstrate inside MRA premises.

“We are not saying no to demonstrations but we are saying these are protected areas. We are keeping many valuable goods that are under custom control so the injunction we are seeking is that demonstrations can take place but outside the MRA premises” Kapoloma said in quotes reported by The Nation.

Kapoloma said their plea will be heard before the high court at Blantyre registry this Thursday.

According to experts, the planned border posts and airport demos will approximately lead to loss of over K1 Billion by the Malawigovernment.

The  HRDC has been holding demonstrations since the announcement of the May 21 presidential election results to force Ansah to resign and pave the way for investigations to identify and prosecute those who supplied Tippex used  to alter elections figures.

Ansah, a judge of the Malawi Supreme Court of Appeal, has dismissed calls for her to resign for allegedly mismanaging the presidential election, saying she would only step down if the court hearing an elections petition case found her leadership to have failed to discharge its duties.