Backlash as Malawi government orders 14 day border closure

By James Mwala

Human rights groups are engaging their lawyers in a bid to challenge the new Covid19 restrictions that government has announced.

The new restrictions which include the ban of public gatherings that attract more than 100 people and closure of border come following a rise in Covid19 infections.

Health Minister Khumbidze Chiponda said the decisions have also been made in the wake of rise in new infections in neighboring nations include the discovery of a new variant.

According to Chiponda said they expect every Malawian to abide by the measures.

" We are challenging people to take these measures seriously as festivities have come."said Chiponda.

However, the vocal Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) says the decision does not consider peoples rights and was not done after consultations.

According to HRDC member, MacDonald Sembereka the decision restricts peoples rights of movement.

This will be a second time for the grouping to challenge such orders.

Earlier this year, the grouping successfully sought an injunction against a 21 day lockdown that former president Peter Mutharika ordered.

Currently, Malawi has slightly over 300 active cases of Covid19 and up to 187 people have died since the first case was recorded.