The political class in Malawi are resolutely opposed to any changes in the legislation on abortion in the country. 5 80 percent of the MPs surveyed in one study said they would vote against tabling the Bill. President Chakwera, himself a pastor, remained ostensibly neutral and let parliament decide whether to debate the hotly contested Bill. Yet the sponsors were bullish and confident: ‘Our committee has done massive sensitizing and consultation meetings with fellow legislators, members of the communities, church leaders, traditional leaders who were failing to understand this Bill. I have full confidence that once the Bill is presented in Parliament, it will receive massive support and the legislators will allow it to be discussed.’ 6 Traditional leaders and religious leaders had also registered their support for the Bill (Paramount Chief Kawinga of Machinga and Chair of the Islamic Commission for Justice and Freedom Shaibu Abdul Rahman Ajasie). Despite this public show of support, the Bill was not tabled due to opoosition from other legislators. Malawi CSO actors and lawyers nonetheless filed a suit to get the country’s high court to pronounce itself the legality of abortion in the country as discussed below.