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The court blocked the order to stay home last week after human rights groups filed a petition against the closure.
BLANTYRE – The Malawi High Court on Friday extended an order temporarily prohibiting the government from implementing a 21-day blockade despite the increase in the number of coronavirus cases.
The court blocked the order to stay home last week after a human rights group filed a petition against the shutdown.
The Coalition of Human Rights Defenders (HRDC) argued that the government had not announced any measures to protect the poor and vulnerable.
Judge Kenyatta Nyirenda said the court will rule on Wednesday whether to uphold or dismiss the blockade.
HRDC was given a mandate last Friday and a judicial review is expected within seven days.
The court has yet to give reasons for its ruling.
Malawi’s confirmed cases of coronavirus increased from 23 to 33 on Thursday, including three deaths.
But those numbers are likely to be underestimated, as only 553 people have been evaluated so far.
The southern African country is one of the poorest on the continent. More than half of its population lives below the poverty line.
President Peter Mutharika had announced a three-week shutdown beginning April 19 and said the measure could be extended if necessary.
Thousands of angry market traders marched in the capital Lilongwe and in the cities of Blantyre and Zomba after the announcement.
They vowed to ignore the shutdown, saying it would devastate workers living face to face.
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