NGO applauds court’s ruling on vagabond

Malawi Sex Workers Association (Maswa) national cordinator Zinenani Majawa has hailed the ruling on rogue and vagabond law as a milestone in the fight against human rights abuse by law enforcers.

Majawa alleged law enforcers have used vagabond as a tool to intimidate and abuse sex workers across the country.

She made the claims on Friday in Salima on the sidelines of a rights sensitisation meeting which attracted representatives of sex workers from all the 28 districts.

“We are here to sensitise each other on our rights, but I can’t avoid saying how happy each and every member of our organisation is upon hearing courts determination that the law of vagabond is unconstitutional.

“We face many human rights violations from different sections of our society and vagabond was a key instrument which was used to abuse and silence us,” said Majawa.

Salima Police spokesperson Gift Chitowe said the Police have never received any formal complaint that their officers abuse sex workers when they arrest them for breaking the law.

The High Court in Blantyre last Tuesday ruled that Section 184 (1) C of the Penal Code, which deals with offences of rogue and vagabond, is unconstitutional and invalid. n