Hours after Blantyre Water Board (BWB) suspended politician Yeremia Chihana as chief executive officer, the High Court of Malawi reinstated and granted him permission to start a judicial review of the decision.
The BWB board of directors had earlier suspended Chihana over a litany of allegations, including bypassing the board in facilitating arrests of acting directors.
In an interview yesterday, BWB board chairperson Stanley Chirwa confirmed a letter of suspension dated April 27 2026 that said the decision to suspend Chihana was made at an extraordinary meeting of the human resources and administrative committee.
“… the board of directors of Blantyre Water Board resolved to suspend you with immediate effect, pursuant to Clause 9.5 (b) of the staff services regulations for pending the determination of a disciplinary hearing,” reads in part the letter dated April 27 2026.
Chihana, a former legislator appointed to the post barely three weeks ago, is also faulted for making pronouncements that BWB would provide free water through kiosks located in areas affected by cholera and that the struggling utility provider would write off arrears owed by operators of kiosks in areas affected by cholera.
He is further accused of permitting unauthorised people access to premises, documents, meeting and the board’s vehicles without the approval of management and board of directors.
But in a twist of events, High Court Judge Allan Hans Muhome granted Chihana an injunction stopping implementation of the BWB decision.
In granting the order in Blantyre, the judge said: “Permission is hereby granted to the claimant to apply for judicial review of the decision of the board of directors of Blantyre Water Board dated 27th April 2026 suspending the claimant as chief executive officer pending disciplinary hearing…
“The permission granted herein shall operate forthwith as a stay order of the decision suspending the claimant from duty as chief executive officer of Blantyre Water Board and of all restrictions and implementation steps arising from the suspension letter.”
In his affidavit filed by lawyer Michael Goba Chipeta, Chihana argued that the decision to suspend him was “unlawful, utra vires, procedurally unfair, unreasonable, irrational, disproportionate, in breach of legitimate expectation”, contrary to his contract and statutory labour protections.
The suspension letter, signed by Chirwa, also said that during his suspension, Chihana should not visit any BWB office and cut communication with BWB clients, staff and suppliers.
In the letter, Chihana was ordered to surrender to the acting director of human resources all company property, “including but not limited to [motor vehicle] keys, access cards, identity badges, company credit cards, laptops, mobile devices, documents and any confidential information”.
The board said Chihana will continue getting his remuneration and benefits during the suspension period in line with his contractual terms.
Chihana was appointed BWB CEO alongside several other individuals perceived to be active politicians to lead State-owned enterprises and parastatals.
Documents filed in court show that Chihana has a fixed term contract from April 13 2026 to April 12 2029 as BWB CEO.
