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Malawi pressed to overturn British envoy deportation

  1. Posted on Thursday 21 April 2011 - 12:40
    Mtheto Lungu
    Image of Mtheto Lungu
    LILONGWE. The Malawi Government has managed to push itself in the corner after it challenged British High Commissioner Fergus Cochraine-Dyet to depart Malawi within 48 hours on 18th April, Monday. Foreign Affairs ministry through Principle Secretary, Patrick Kabambe, says government is still exploring the next move at Capital Hill in the capital Lilongwe.

    High Commissioner Fergus Cochrane-Dyet in a leaked cable to Foreign Secretary William Hague angered President Bingu wa Mutharika's administration when he detailed Malawi’s deteriorating governance and human rights record.

    Mutharika is said to be feeling the heat for his rushed directive and has instructed his lieutenants to find a 'technicality' to reverse Malawi's intentions of declaring Cochraine-Dyet “persona non grata”.

    Meanwhile British Acting Permanent under Secretary, Sir Geoffrey Adams, on Tuesday summoned the Malawi Charge d’Affaires in London, Flossie Gomile-Chidyaonga and conveyed to her UK’s strong concern. He warned such an action would have “consequences” on Malawi and its people.

    He told private radio Zodiak Broadcasting Service (ZBS): “We are currently discussing on the next move" as government looks for ways to reverse the deportation and save the country a possibility of donation curtailing of almost 40% on its national budget.

    Foreign Affairs Minister Etta Banda summoned Cochraine-Dyet on Monday to dress him down for calling Mutharika 'combative' and 'ever more autocratic and intolerant of criticism', but government had not yet formally issued the marching orders for the envoy. There is no formal documentation of the decree which was verbally communicated by Banda.

    Malawi has recently drawn criticism from donor countries, including Britain and Germany, over “certain negative trends”.

    Britain, Malawi’s former colonial master, is the impoverished landlocked country’s main bilateral donor currently beefing up the Malawi economy with over £19 million annually.

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