The High Court of Malawi has formally granted concerned citizen Austin Mkoka an order stopping Parliament from launching 12 investigations into governance concerns and allowed him to proceed with judicial review proceedings.
Speaker of Parliament Sameer Suleman in an interview yesterday confirmed being served with the injunction granted by Judge Allan Muhome restraining Parliament from establishing joint ad hoc committees to investigate 12 governance concerns.
| George Singini
He said Parliament will decide the next course of action and that challenging the order is a possibility.
“It is within our right to challenge the injunction. We want to proceed with the work. We will decide what to do and how to do it,” said the Speaker.
The restraint will remain in force until further order of the court.
In a separate interview, Mkoka’s lawyer, Noel Supedi, said the court documents were served on Monday.
“I cannot say on their behalf regarding receiving documents, but the service was done on Monday,” he said.
Under the court order, Parliament must now face the substantive judicial review proceedings. The interpartes hearing is expected within 14 days.
Suleman last week announced investigations into alleged governance concerns involving Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services, Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (Escom), Electricity Generation Company, Power Market Limited, Blantyre Water Board and National Oil Company of Malawi, among other government institutions.
The other concerns include alleged preferential treatment of international transporters in fuel transportation, problems surrounding the Salima-Lilongwe Water Project, pension administration and delays in pension payments.
