By Chisomo Phiri
The High Court in Lilongwe through Judge Howard Pemba has on Tuesday reserved its ruling to December 26 2023, in the cases in which three Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) National Governing Council (NGC) members Kondwani Nankhumwa, Cecilia Chazama and Grezelda Jeffrey are seeking nullification of the 13 December 2023 National Governing Council (NGC) meeting resolutions and their recent re-assignment to new positions.
In an interview after an hearing which was done in the Justice Pemba’s chamber, both lawyers for the applicants and defendants confirmed the development.
Nankhumwa and Chazama’s lawyer Peter Minjale said the court felt that the three have similar facts and that they are suing the same party therefore it would make more sense to be treated as one .
On the other hand, Charles Mhango who is representing the DPP said the decision brings in fairness and eliminates further misunderstandings upon different determinations by different judges.
He said political disputes should not be taken to court but rather should be settled within the parameters that are set by the constitution of the political party in question.
“No court has been able to resolve any of the cases honourable Nankhumwa brought against his political party. The only resolution that one can get is a temporary relief of injunction and nullification but political disputes persist. That should tell you that political disputes can not be resolved in a court of law,” said Mhango.
DPP leader Peter Mutharika appointed Nankhumwa and Chazama as his advisors replacing them with George Chaponda and Mary Navicha on their initial positions as DPP Vice President for the South and National Director of Women respectively.
He gave Jeffrey a new role as the party’s Vice President for the Center.
The former ruling remains divided even after High Court Judge Simeon Mdeza’s ruling extending the party’s convention period.
