Former workers of Opportunity International Bank of Malawi (OIBM) said they will from March 31 2025 hold a vigil at the High Court, Mzuzu registry until ‘justice’ is delivered in a compensation case which commenced in 2016.
After several judgements in the case, and awards of compensations, there have been several appeals, but on December 19 2024, the matter was heard before Justice Thomson Ligowe.
A representative of the 117 ex-workers, Aaron Kayira has told us this evening that they expected a ruling within 90 days from December 19, but that has not happened, hence their decision to hold the vigils.
“2016 is not yesterday, we have suffered a lot, and all we want is justice. For how long shall we continue waiting for it? Remember this matter was first concluded in 2019, but there have been several appeal. We cannot continue like this,” says Kayira.
Based on documents we have seen, the labour case at the Industrial Relations Court (IRC) was concluded in 2019, where the ex-workers were awarded K374 million as damages for unfair dismissal, but OIBM took the matter to the High Court, stopping the compensation process.
The stay order was effective until April 12 2023 when Judge Ligowe delivered judgement on the appeal, maintaining that the bank had unfairly dismissed them and that the damages should be paid but the case should go back to the IRC to reassess damages.
After conducting a review, on June 16 2023, IRC deputy chairperson for Mzuzu Registry Anthony Kapaswiche ordered the bank to pay the ex-staff K753.5 million in compensation.
The bank sought a stay of execution from the same court, and deputy chairperson Kapaswiche denied the stay on July 25.
However, on July 26 2023 Ligowe granted a stay of execution to the bank, which also stopped any seizure of the bank’s property and scheduled inter partes hearing.
