The Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI) has called on Malawi president Lazarus Chakwera and secretary to the office of president Zangazanga Chikhosi to use personal funds to pay Jean Mathanga and Linda Kunje’s legal costs.
This follows High Court ruling that has ordered President Chakwera to formally appoint two Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC), Commissioners Jean Mathanga and Linda Kunje.
The court also ordered the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC) to pay the legal costs.
CDEDI executive director Sylvester Namiwa on Saturday May 8th, 2021 told journalists in Blantyre that the legal costs of the court should not be paid using the taxpayers money, but should be from Chakwera and Chikhosi’s pockets.
Namiwa said it is very worrisome that president Chakwera thought of disregarding two petitions CDEDI formally wrote him bringing to his attention that his decision to ignore the Attorney General’s legal opinion could be construed as political victimization.
He further said Chakwera and Chikhosi should follow a good precedent which has already been set by the country’s former President Prof. Arthur Peter Mutharika, and the former Secretary Lloyd Muhara where they paid for a similar situation.
“Should the two MEC Commissioners decide to take Government to court for unfair dismissal, CDEDI and all well-meaning Malawians would hold him and his secretary personally liable.
“It is for this reason that we are appealing to the legal team representing the two commissioners to move the courts to ensure that the poor and marginalized taxpayers should not pay for Chakwera’s growing disrespect for the rule of law and, and the Republic Constitution,” said Namiwa.
CDEDI has since warned that it will not hesitate to mobilize Malawians to stand up against Chakwera’s total disrespect for the rule of law, selective application of justice and attempts to take back the country to dictatorship if he denies to pay for the legal cost.
