Nearly a decade ago, Mayeso Gwanda, a plastic bag vendor from Chilomoni Township in Blantyre, became an unlikely champion of constitutional rights after challenging the colonial-era offence of being a “rogue and vagabond”. “Compliance with court orders reinforces the rule of law, institutional accountability and public confidence in democratic governance,” she said. Ndende, chief executive officer of Corporate and Institutional Integrity Africa, said court orders are binding, not advisory. Ndende said continued failure to implement constitutional court orders is difficult to justify in a democratic society founded on respect for judicial authority. But the State has yet to honour the court orders their courage secured.