A ex utility boss wants a massive payout after getting shuffled to a university. Kamkwamba Kumwenda, previously head of ESCOM, is demanding over half a million US dollars as compensation for his removal and secondment to the Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences. He claims the move breached his chief executive contract even while he kept getting paid.
The demand came out during High Court proceedings in Blantyre. Attorney General Frank Mbeta sought to vacate an injunction blocking the redeployment. Mbeta revealed Kumwenda already filed a separate financial claim worth well over six hundred thousand dollars with the Industrial Relations Court.
Mbeta argued that Kumwenda failed to disclose the existing claim when obtaining his injunction. The Attorney General stated the compensation demand proves this is an employment issue. Such matters belong before the Industrial Relations Court, not the High Court.
The court agreed with the state’s position. It dismissed the judicial review order obtained by Kumwenda and another ex-director, Chrispin Banda. Both men had argued their contracts were unlawfully terminated. Banda was reassigned to the Malawi School of Government.
The demand came out during High Court proceedings in Blantyre. Attorney General Frank Mbeta sought to vacate an injunction blocking the redeployment. Mbeta revealed Kumwenda already filed a separate financial claim worth well over six hundred thousand dollars with the Industrial Relations Court.
Mbeta argued that Kumwenda failed to disclose the existing claim when obtaining his injunction. The Attorney General stated the compensation demand proves this is an employment issue. Such matters belong before the Industrial Relations Court, not the High Court.
The court agreed with the state’s position. It dismissed the judicial review order obtained by Kumwenda and another ex-director, Chrispin Banda. Both men had argued their contracts were unlawfully terminated. Banda was reassigned to the Malawi School of Government.
