Malawi courts resume work after 3 months strike

Justice will be back in the corridors of Malawi’s judicial system from tomorrow, Monday, after a junior strike which started around January 9 has ended. Workers will get back to work after engaging in a strong civil disobedience to go to work following government’s refusal to activate revised monthly perks.

Striking staff and their judicial leadership and government officials leadership last week put pen to paper to agree on a conditions terms of service beneficial to both parties.

Bright Msaka, Chief Secretary to the (OPC) alongside Supreme Court Judge Atanasio Tembo announced during a press conference on Saturday that the judiciary would be paid their arrears in due course, following revision of their take-home in 2006.

“The winner in this deal is our nation, democracy and nationalism, not the judiciary or the executive that may be seen to have emerged triumphant,” said Msaka.

Junior staff went on strike, demanding their revised pay, in the process grinding the legal determination body and seeing thousands of Malawians spend more time in jails and cells in the absence of a functional judicial system. Government stood its ground, saying the striking workers were overreacting and that the proper process towards the gains were being worked out..

Senior judicial staff last month joined the stay away, which was also supported by lawyers. The strike paralysed and worked counter to economic rights of widows and those of deceased estates interests, and lawyers as their industry was at a ‘stand still’. It also denied Malawians the right to be protected and heard and be provided for with judicial relief.