By Chisomo Phiri
The High Court in Lilongwe on Friday stopped the former governing Democratic Progressive Party( DPP) from proceeding to hold the party’s National Governing Council ( NGC) meeting which was slated for June 24, 2023 at Nkopola lodge in Mangochi.
The meeting was aimed at choosing dates for the party’s convention.
The move follows an injunction the court has granted to the party’s Deputy Director of political affairs Billy Malata who in his sworn statement argues that the people who are being invited to attend are more than the people recognised under the DPP constitution to be members of the NGC.
A copy of the Order of Injunction by Justice Howard Pemba in circulation dated June 22, 2023 restrains the party’s secretary general Grezelder Jeffrey, its spokesperson Shadric Namalomba and the DPP from holding the NGC until a further order of the court.
And commenting on the matter with local media, Malata’s lawyer Wapona Kita said : “This is an important constitutional matter within the DPP party politburo because it will in the end determine when and who is supposed to attend and vote at the DPP convention.”
Meanwhile, DPP Secretary General Gelzedar Jeffrey,says to obey the court order, they have decided to postpone the meeting.
According to Jeffrey, a new date for the meeting will therefore, be communicated once all processes to vacate the injunction are concluded.
