Court favours BCC on minibuses toll fees

The High Court in Blantyre has sustained an order stopping Minibus Owners Association of Malawi (Moam) and its agents from collecting or levying toll fees on minibuses.

In its decision on Wednesday, the court also restrained Moam from doing anything related to K and N Consult mandate and functions on Lot Five of Blantyre City comprising Mibawa Minibus Terminal, Blantyre Bus Stands and Minibus Terminal opposite Blantyre Market.

Blantyre City Council (BCC) public relations manager Anthony Kasunda, in a statement, said following the ruling, K and N Consult is the only legally mandated company to collect parking fees from the three terminals on behalf of the council until a determination of the matter by the court.

Reads the BCC statement: “Facts of the matter are that Blantyre City Council outsourced the services of K and N Consult through an open tender bidding process to be collecting parking fees on Lot Five as indicated above. However, Moam Limited stopped K and N Consult staff deployed to execute the contract on the said lot from doing so through harassment.”

Kasunda said BCC joined the case as a second complainant on the understanding that it is the only legal body mandated by law to collect such fees in the city and also as a confirmation that K and N Consult was collecting parking fees on its behalf.

However, Moam moved the court to vacate the injunction so that it could continue collecting parking fees. n