By Iommie Chiwalo
The High Court is tomorrow Monday, January 3, 2022 expected to make its ruling over government’s implementation of the mandatory Covid-19 vaccination campaign and the matter will be presided over by Judge Kenyata Nyirenda.
The interparte hearing follows an application CDEDI and freelance journalist Mundango Nyirenda made before the Lilongwe High Court on December 25,2021.
CDEDI and Mr. Nyirenda, applied to the court to stop the Ministry of Health from implementing the mandatory administration of the Covid-19 vaccine; stopping Parliament from demanding Covid-19 certificates from employees in order to access parliament premises; and also stopping all private and public institutions from demanding vaccination certificates from their employees and customers to have access into their premises.
In its application CDEDI zeroed in on the matter, following Minister of Health Khumbize Kandodo-Chiponda’s announcement that all public servants will be forced to take a jab come January, 2022, on one hand while parliament has been sending back those that failed to show proof of vaccination to enter its premises.
This has caused public outcry and unnecessary panic among members of the public, hence the decision to move the courts on the matter.
Apart from CDEDI, state funded Malawi Human Rights Commission also bashed government on the mandatory vaccination saying is a gross violation of human rights. Media Institute of Southern Africa, Malawi chapter also weighed in on the directive and called on government to consult before implementation of the said mandatory vaccination exercise.
Currently, Malawi is among the African nations with the lowest uptake of the vaccine. Centers are characterized by low turnout.
