Malawi diplomats defy recalls, UK based Sande claims K15m refund

Malawi diplomats recalled from various missions have given Ministry of Foreign Affairs ultimatums to rfund them millions of kwachas they are allegedly owed effectively rejecting orders for them to return home which has seen Bernard Sande still holding the position of the High Commissioner in London.

Sande has refused to return home unless he is paid K15 million in arrears he has accumulated since assuming the post in 2012.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation spokesperson Quent Kalichero said the ministry is waiting for the appointing authority, the President, to make further nominations for Sande’s replacement following the withdraw of eteran politician-cum-medical doctor Hetherwick Ntaba.

Ntaba withdrew from the appointment citing personal reasons.

But Sande has reportedly refused to honour three deadlines given to him to go back to Malawi, saying he will only return to Malawi when he is paid his £28,000 claim mainly from travel allowances accumulated through travels on local and international travel in 2013.

Accountant General apparently refused request for extra funding, after acting Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs James Ali asked for special funding to enable Sande return.

The Ministry has been asked to use the mission’s allocation for 2014/2015 to square off the bill.

Others working from Malawi High Commission on recall yet to return include Vupe Kunkwezu and Mufwa Munthali (Tradeand Investment Counselor). Military attaché Colonel Sikwese ended his diplomatic tour of duty to London.

But diplomats Dr Francis Moto from Brazil and Brigadier Marcel Chirwa from Kenya have sincereturned to Malawi.

Former Ambassador to UN Charles Msosa sponsored his own air ticket after receiving the recall and Bowler reported for office. Msosa is now redeployed in the civil service as Principal Secretary.

In US at UN Malawi mission, Janet Zenat Karim the first secretary (press) has since been recalled.

Chancellor College political analyst Boniface Dulani said there is need for “some quick action” on the diplomats because “they are very important since they are the first point of reference for Malawi to the outside world.”

He said government should have brought back the old ambassadors and brief them on the new foreign policy of the Peter Mutharika administration.

Brian Bowler and Charles Namondwe have since been deployed to their posts in the United States of America at the UN and China, respectively.

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