Malawi lawyers to hold demos

Lawyers in the country are set to hold demonstrations on Wednesday to push President Peter Mutharika to recognize and respect the independence the Judiciary.

The demonstrations in defense of the Judiciary and rule of law will be held in Blantyre, Zomba, Mzuzu and Lilongwe.

Organisers of the demonstration include lawyers Alexious Kamangira, John Gift Mwakhwawa, Ngeyi Kanyongolo and Khwima Mchizi.

The lawyers have since notified the Malawi Police about their intention to hold the demonstrations.

“This is not only in line with our constitutional right but further it is our duty to defend the institution which safeguard our existence as a law profession,” reads part of their notice addressed to the Inspector General of Police and police chiefs in the four cities.

The plan to hold the demonstrations comes after attempts by the Mutharika administration to illegally fire Chief Justice Nyirenda and Justice of Appeal Edward Twea.

Chief Secretary to the Government Lloyd Muhara wrote the two last week telling them to go on leave pending retirement. Muhara also issued a public notice informing Malawians that Mutharika will appoint a new Chief Justice.

Twea and Nyirenda were part of the seven-judge panel of the Supreme Court of Appeal that upheld the nullification of the 2019 presidential election in which Mutharika was declared winner.

The elections were first nullified in February by the High Court of Malawi sitting as a Constitutional Court which found that the polls were marred by unlawful and unconstitutional actions as well as irregularities.

Following the nullification, Mutharika has been attacking the courts saying the judges did not prove that the irregularities affected the results if the elections. The Malawi leader has also been claiming that Judges are part of a plot for regime change.