Unconfirmed reports have indicated that President Lazarus Chakwera has ordered a 40% increment for Judges’ monthly earnings and other benefits.
The reports have revealed that Chakwera has increased their salaries to MK3,000,000,00 per month amongst other benefits.
This comes barely a week after the former ruling and opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) filed an application seeking the nullification of 2020 Fresh Presidential Elections.
The application follows a High Court ruling that fired four commissioners of the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) who presided over the elections.
The DPP argues that the elections were managed by a commission that included commissioners who were not duly appointed hence should be nullified.
In the 2020 presidential elections, Tonse Alliance’s Lazarus Chakwera beat DPP’s, Peter Mutharika.
Mutharika was the incumbent at the time and he appointed new MEC commissioners weeks before the polls.
The commissioners included four nominated by the DPP and two nominated by Malawi Congress Party (MCP) which is led by Chakwera.
Justice Kenyatta Nyirenda earlier this month ruled that the law compelled Mutharika to appoint an equal number of commissioners from the two parties.
Nyirenda then canceled the appointments of the four DPP commissioners and ordered the DPP to submit three names to the president.
The fired DPP commissioners are Arthur Nanthulu, Steve Duwa, Linda Kunje, and Jean Mathanga.
The DPP has since replaced them with Francis Lazaro Kasaila, Emmanuel Fabiano, and Caroline Mfune.
The three together with Richard Chapweteka, who was nominated by the Malawi Congress Party, were appointed by Chakwera last week.
Chief Justice Nyirenda is yet to appoint new judges for the DPP election case challenge.
Both the State House and Office of the President and Cabinet have refused to comment on the matter referring this publication to the judiciary.
