Embattled politician Yeremiah Chihana has suffered a double blow this week with Malawi Supreme Court of Appeal dismissing his earlier reinstatement bid a day after Blantyre Water Board (BWB) fired him as chief executive officer.
In the first blow, BWB board chairperson Stanley Chirwa, through a letter dated October 5 2026, said the board resolved to summarily dismiss Chihana following disciplinary proceedings over alleged misconduct.
The dismissal followed a disciplinary hearing which Chihana did not attend, according to the letter.
Reads part of the letter: “The board determined that the misconduct established against you is substantially grave so as to continue a fundamental breach of the standards of a conduct of a chief executive officer and has irreparably undermined the trust and confidence necessary for the continuation of the employment relationship.”
The board also ordered Chihana to surrender all property belonging to BWB, including motor vehicles and computers.
The water utility said the disciplinary committee made findings and recommendations which were later considered by the board at its meeting on October 5 2026.
Meanwhile, a seven-judge Supreme Court panel yesterday dismissed Chihana’s application seeking a stay of the implementation of a High Court of Malawi judgement and an interim injunction restraining BWB from enforcing his suspension.
The panel, chaired by Deputy Chief Justice Lovemore Chikopa, said it found that the dispute was, in substance, an employment one concerning Chihana’s suspension.
The court further said that an effective remedy was available before the Industrial Relations Court (IRC).
“The consequential prayers for restoration of the applicant to the office and functions of chief executive officer, and for access to the respondents’ offices, records, systems and staff are accordingly dismissed,” said Justice of Appeal (JA) Frank Kapanda who read the ruling in Blantyre.
Besides Chikopa and Kapanda, the panel comprised JAs Healy Potani, John Katsala, Mankhambira Charles Mkandawire, Dingiswayo Madise and Rowland Mbvundula.
Chihana’s lawyer, Michael Goba Chipeta, said in a telephone interview yesterday that several legal options could be pursued following the Supreme Court decision, but he needed time to discuss the matter with his client.
On September 7 2026, the High Court of Malawi, sitting in Blantyre, vacated a stay order and injunction that Chihana had obtained against his suspension.
The decision came one week after the court reinstated him to his position and granted him permission to seek judicial review of the BWB board’s decision to suspend him pending an inquiry following an emergency board meeting.
However, Attorney General Frank Mbeta applied to the court to vacate the stay order and injunction, arguing that BWB is an essential institution supplying water to Blantyre City.
The BWB board of directors suspended Chihana to pave the way for a disciplinary inquiry into allegations of misrepresentation, unauthorised appointments and a K500 million overdraft allegedly secured without the board’s approval.
