Judiciary support staff strike, justice paralysed

Judiciary support staff on Thursday downed their tools to push government to review their conditions of service and salaries, a move that has paralysed delivery of justice nationwide.

Except for the Malawi Supreme Court of Appeal which had court hearings at Sunbird Mzuzu on Thursday, the rest of the courts were not operational.

In Blantyre, the Judiciary headquarters, the striking staff closed the main gate with tree branches, denying access to lawyers, police and other people seeking court services.

Spot-checks established the same pattern of wheels of justice screeching to a halt in Lilongwe, Mzuzu, Mzimba, Karonga, Mangochi and Zomba districts.

On the Supreme Court proceedings in Mzuzu, High Court of Malawi and Malawi Supreme Court of Appeal registrar Kondwani Banda said the five justices of appeal who travelled from Blantyre were not affected.

But a Judiciary source said the Supreme Court judges were conducting the “special hearings” from Sunbird Mzuzu and not the court house which was closed by striking workers.

Judiciary Members of Staff Union (Jumsu) president Charles Lizigeni said in an interview on Thursday they resorted to downing their tools because the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs was non-responsive to their grievances.

Meanwhile, Jumsu leaders are expected to meet a team from the Ministry of Finance and the Judiciary Conditions of Service Committee in Lilongwe today.

Ministry of Finance spokesperson Williams Banda confirmed the meeting.

Magistrates were also expected to go on strike, but Association of Magistrates in Malawi president Kondani Chinangwa said they have postponed their strike and will be part of the Lilongwe meeting.

The Judicature Administration Act provides for a revision of conditions of service every three years for Judiciary support staff, but the last increment was implemented in 2018.