Court says Tembo not leader of opposition

A worried looking opposition MCP leader John Tembo. Pic by Malawi Digest.

By Lucy Liponda

The High Court in Malawi has reversed an earlier ruling made in the week that opposition Malawi Congress Party president John Tembo was Leader of Opposition.

The reverse of the earlier ruling, follows a successful appeal by the Malawi Government over the court's decision to have Tembo recognized as Malawi's interim Leader of Opposition.

Making the latest ruling on the appeal in the northern region city of Mzuzu late Friday, the Malawi High Court says that Tembo should not be recognized as Leader of Opposition until a judicial review on the matter is done.

John Tembo, applied to the High Court for a review on the matter after the Malawi National Assembly made moves in the chamber to change the voting procedures for the Leader of Opposition in the country.

In his ruling, Judge Dingiswayo Madise said that the government appeal on the matter was successful.

The Judge, also ruled in favour of the government that the case be moved from the Mzuzu High Court to Lilongwe as all the concerned parties on the matter were based in Lilongwe.

The Malawi Government had applied to have the case moved to the administrative capital, Lilongwe and not Mzuzu where the case was being held.

The Judge also ordered that there should be an inter-party hearing within seven days in the administrative capital, Lilongwe.

Following the latest ruling, John Tembo the opposition MCP leader is back to square one where he will not receive benefits meant for the Leader of Opposition in Malawi.

In it's earlier ruling on Monday this week, the High Court in Mzuzu ordered that Tembo be recognised as interim leader of opposition and that he should be given all benefits for the Leader of Opposition until such a time when a decision on the matter is made in the courts.

John Tembo popularly known in Malawi as Puludzu is facing a tough challenge from his fellow opposition Malawi Congress Party legislators who want the veteran politician removed as leader because of failure in his leadership skills-Malawi Digest.