Mixed reactions over Malawi minister's suspension

The suspension of the Malawi Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development, George Chaponda, by the High Court on Thursday has received mixed reactions by the the society.

Attorney General (AG) Kalekeni Kaphale told the local media Thursday that there was a "fundamental error in the High Court's ruling because the matter was not urgent" and the government would challenge it.

Late Thursday evening, Minister of Information, Communication and Technology, Nicholas Dausi, was on a local private radios Zodiak, criticizing the Court's ruling on the Agriculture Minister, describing it as "usurping the powers of the Executive".

In a statement dated January 12, 2017 and signed by Dausi who is also spokesperson for the government, the minister said not only did the court's order constitute a fundamental error in law, but that it also threatened the constitutional order on separation of powers.

He added no person except the President has the power to remove or suspend a Cabinet Minister. It is therefore a complete usurpation of executive powers by the Court.

On the other hand, the Malawi Law Society President, Suzi Banda, Friday told local media that court's determinations "are not supposed to be interfered with or undermined".

The High Court in Malawi's northern city of Mzuzu Thursday granted an injunction to Chaponda restraining him from discharging his duties as a cabinet minister until the investigations were finalized, or until a further order was made by the court. Endit