By Daniel Zimba:
The High Court sitting in Blantyre has ruled in favour of 460 retired Malawi Defence Force (MDF) soldiers, ordering the government to pay them K4.7 billion in pension arrears.
The soldiers in question retired between 2004 and 2010.
High Court Assistant Registrar Montfort Misunje delivered the judgement, saying each of the 460 retired soldiers would be entitled to a portion of the K4.7 billion based on their respective ranks and salaries at the time of retirement.
In an earlier interview, the soldiers’ lawyer, Jones Gulumba of Naphambo and Company, had argued that the government’s failure to address the matter had caused significant challenges for the retired soldiers.
He said the retired soldiers remained on the same pension amounts, despite government releasing a circular in 2010, when it announced that monthly pension payments were scaled up.
Speaking after delivery of the judgement, one of the retired soldiers, Ben Ntwana, expressed satisfaction with the judgement.
“I am happy that the court has heard us, though it has taken time and most of the colleagues we started the case with are deceased while others are in their old age. We served the nation and, as such, deserve honour,” Ntwana said.
The soldiers had taken the State to court over the matter in 2019.
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