High court says swearing in can go on

The High Court, sitting in Blantyre Sunday, has directed that the swearing in ceremony of newly elected MPs be proceeded in Lilongwe today, quashing grievances from dissatisfied contestants who lost during the May 19 elections.

The MPs, led by Ralph Mhone of Nkhata bay Central constituency, wanted the court to restrain government from going ahead with the swearing in ceremony, citing irregularities in their constituencies.

But High Court Judge Joseph Manyungwa, said doing so would deny constituents fair representation in parliament, adding there would be an opportunity for the discontented MPs to present their substantive matters- instead of halting the ceremony.

This also means other applications for interlocutory injunctions sought by former Deputy Transport Minister Rashid Gaffar and Jean Kamphale- who contested and lost in Blantyre Kabula- and Hetherwick Ntaba, DPPs spokesperson, have fallen by the wayside also.

New MPs are being sworn in today in Lilongwe.

 AEP/richard chirombo