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UK nullifies Malawi President's VVUP visa status

  1. Posted on Monday 23 May 2011 - 09:04
    Mtheto Lungu
    Image of Mtheto Lungu
    The United Kingdom (UK) on Friday announced it had withdrawn President Bingu wa Mutharika's VVIP visa status for his bad governance and lack of respect of human rights. The development comes after Malawi expelled British High Commissioner to Lilongwe Fergus Cochraine-Dyet.

    A statement from the British Embassy in Lilongwe says Mutharika, vice president Joyce Banda, all principal secretaries, the Police Inspector, Defence Force Commander, Ombudsman, Chief Justice, and the Attorney General will now travel to UK using normal visa applications.

    The list includes director of Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), secretary general of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), and Governor of the Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM).

    Others are Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Chief Justice and judges of the Supreme Court of Appeal, the Speaker and his deputies, the Ombudsman, the Law Commissioner and all diplomats travelling to the UK to take up diplomatic postings and their families.

    “The suspension of the Courtesy Visa Service is part of the wider review of the UK-Malawi bilateral relations following the unwarranted expulsion of the British High Commissioner to Malawi,” British High Commission political officer Lewis Kulisewa said.

    The president was accorded a direct visa application explored within Lilongwe at short notice and will now have to 'queue' alongside ordinary visa applicants whose documents are processed in South Africa.

    UK - Malawi relations hit a snag when a leaked cable by Cochraine-Dyet to London on Malawi affairs appeared in the local press, angering Mutharika. UK responded by deporting Malawi's Embassy boss, Felistus Gomile-Chidyaonga back to Malawi.

    The sour relations means Malawi will part with British aid and London has since withheld all its donor commitment to the impoverished landlocked southern African country, raising economic concerns in the now shaky 47 years old diplomatic relations.

    Britain supports the Malawi budget with around 22 million pounds and Malawi's budget is donor dependent pegged at 40%.

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