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| Opinion |
| Editorial |
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by
Editor, 07 November 2006
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05:21:38
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Friction between branches of govt unnecessary
President Bingu wa Mutharika’s showdown with members of the Judiciary who met him recently where the latter were following up on its request for salary increments, does not augur well for a healthy relationship between the Executive and Judiciary.
Needless to say, government does not only consist of the Executive, but all the three branches of government—the other two being the Judiciary and Legislature—depending on and complementing each other in their operations. None is superior. Otherwise they would not be able to check each other.
And for government’s wheels to run smoothly, the three branches need to respect each other. It is already worrying that there is very little evidence of such respect between the Executive and the Legislature, a development that has previously severely disrupted government’s operations.
If what we hear that the President lorded it over representatives of the Judiciary at the meeting is true, then we should all be very concerned. It is just not good for Malawi which ought to be devoting all its energies on improving the lives of the masses of this country, the majority of whom live below the poverty line.
The bottom-line on the matter at hand is whether President Mutharika’s stand on the judges’ inquiry on salaries can be justified constitutionally.
If the Judges are asking the Executive to fulfil a constitutional requirement, but the President does not have the resources to implement it, the best thing is to find a mutually convenient way of resolving the issue. The President should ask for understanding from the judges. Not lambast them.
Failing to do that will leave the Judiciary with bitterness which may later boomerang on the Executive and the whole justice system in the country with serious repercussions on the democracy. |
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