The Malawi government has finally issued British Ambassador to the impoverished southern Africa landlocked country, Fergus Cochraine-Dyet. President Bingu wa Mutharika a week ago instructed Foreign Affairs Minister Etta Banda to ask the envoy to pack and go in 72 hours, raising concerns and worried both internationally and locally.

Cochraine-Dyet has been officially declared “persona non grata” and government has informed the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London that the diplomat should leave the country. The ambassador's fall of faith with Malawi come after a leaked cable memo to his government on Malawi's slide back to 'dictatorship', poor governance and disregard for minority rights.

“I am sorry to pass on the news that the Malawi Government have officially informed the Foreign and Commonwealth Office today (Tuesday) that Fergus (Cochrane-Dyet) is being declared persona non grata,” reads an internal memo by British High Commission Vice-Consul Lindsay McConaghy Tuesday night.

The development follows a high-level Mulhako wa Lhomwe-dominated advisory council on April 22, 2011, which decided to enforce the deportation of the British High Commissioner to Malawi, during their meeting held at Civic Centre in Blantyre. The group is a Lhomwe tribe cutlural promotion entity but seems to have much power in dictating government policy and direction.

Director of State Residences, Edward Sawerengera (a Lhomwe himself) encouraged Mutharika to go ahead with the deportation whatever the consequences. He challenged China would easily replace Britain in providing aid to Malawi.

However, McConaghy reiteriated his warning that “there will be serious consequences for Malawi” following the Britain Foreign Office's earlier caution that a full range of issues in bilateral relations between the two countries were bound to suffer. The warning came through acting Permanent Under Secretary, Sir Geoffrey Adams.

The envoy has been expelled following a leaked cable that he expressed concerns about human rights and dictatorship of President Bingu wa Mutharika.

Cochraine-Dyet's leaked diplomatic telegram to his head office in London was published in the Weekend Times newspaper and earlier published in full in an online publication, the Malawi Democrat.

In the cable, the envoy outlined the ills of Mutharika’s government and described his leadership as autocratic and combative.

Mutharika’s decision has received wide disapproval from various sections including international organisations, opposition political parties, among others.

Malawi depends on foreign aid and support to its national budget goes to the tune of about 18 million pounds annually from the British purse. The move has further strained relations between the capital Lilongwe and western donor countries including German.

The European Union delegation and other donor countries and agencies also earlier warned Mutharika in a diplomatic statement months ago about declining human rights and bad governance trends in the country. They said Malawi risks having its aid compromised over its administrative style.

---