By Deogratias Mmana:
The High Court in Lilongwe has set March 24, 2021 for hearing of a contempt of court case in which some members of the Democratic Progressive Party are suing the party for not re-instating them to their positions.
The officials are Kondwani Nankhumwa, who has not yet been re-instated as vice president, Grizelder Jeffrey as secretary general, Jappie Mhango, who was not reinstated as treasurer General despite a Court Order.
Nankhumwa and his team want the court to deal with DPP’s administrative secretary Francis Mphepo, National Organising Secretary Chimwemwe Chipungu, members of the central committee, Samuel Tembenu and Brown Mpinganjira for disobeying the court order to recall them.
“Let all parties attend before Honourable Justice Kenyatta Nyirenda in open court on the 24th day of March 2021 at 9 o’clock in the forenoon or soon thereafter on the hearing of an application by the Claimants, for the Defender’s Administrative and National Organising Secretary Honourable Francis Mphepo and Chimwemwe Chipungu respectively. Mr. Samuel Tembenu and Mr. Brown James Mpinganjira to be dealt with for contempt of court on the ground that these individuals who sit in Defendant’s Central Committee, contrary to the Interlocutory Order of Injunction on 3rd of October, 2020 have not reinstated the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Claimants to their respective positions,” reads the court summons.
In his application, Nankhumwa argues that the central committee of the party has the power to effect the dictates of the Order of Injunction which was given before and that it has the responsibility of giving direction on any other matter connected with the affairs of the defendant.
“I repeat the foregoing paragraphs and state that I have neither been reinstated to my party position as Vice President (South) nor received any communication from the Defendant’s said Central Committee to the effect that I have been reinstated to such position after the Court Order,” reads the application.
The application further reads: “Before I humbly pray to this Honourable court for an order that Honourable Chimwemwe Chipungu, Francis Mphepo, Samuel Tembenu and Brown James Mpinganjira be dealt with for contempt of court.”
The former ruling party is going through a leadership crisis as it is hunting for a torchbearer for the 2025 Presidential Elections.
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