Lawyers back ‘Red Star’ campaign
President Peter Mutharika has the legal backing in his effort to revive Operation Red Star campaign, legal commentators have said.
On Monday, after he toured Limbe central business district (CBD), Mutharika announced the revival of the campaign introduced in the early 1990s which will see the demolition of substandard and archaic buildings in the country’s major cities and towns.
However, there was concern as to whether the campaign will not face legal challenges, especially from the people whose properties are affected.
But associate professor of law at Chancellor College in Zomba, Edge Kanyongolo, on Thursday dismissed the suggestion saying the President has the legal backing.
Said Kanyongolo: “There will be no immediate challenges because every country has laws on building standards. If the operation is aimed at removing the buildings that violated stipulated standards, there will be no challenge because government will have legal basis.”
Justin Dzonzi of Justice Link also backed Mutharika’s decision saying he is only trying to correct what went wrong.
Said Dzonzi: “If you construct structures without proper planning or against laid down standards, then the President will have the legal mandate to deal with such structures.”
Blantyre City Council (BCC) public relations manager Anthony Kasunda said 130 buildings have so far been identified for demolition.
