Malawi govt withdraws Mia’s diplomatic passport: MCP’s guru says he is cool with ordinary travel document

Malawi government has withdrawn a diplomatic passport for  former Cabinet minister Muhammad Sidik Mia who is aspiring to be opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) Vice President at the party’s national convention next month.

Business mogul and politician had gone to Immigration Department to renew his passport to travel abroad.

But Immigration Department could not issue the new diplomatic passport after getting instructions from Ministry of Home Affairs that the document should be withheld and that Mia should wait for authorization.

Mia, however, said he could not be delayed on his foreign trip and applied for an ordinary passport like any other citizen.

“I could not wait for a diplomatic passport, I asked to get an ordinary passport like any other citizen,” said Mia.

Mia, regarded as a political heavyweight of the twin Lower Shire Valley districts of Chikwawa and Nsanje, proceeded on his foreign trip.

The MCP politician  was apparently on his way to South Africa.

The former Cabinet minister was officially welcomed into the MCP fold on July 15 2017 by MCP president Lazarus Chakwera at a political rally the party held at Mia’s home area in Ngabu, Chikwawa.

Mia said since joining MCP—a political party that ruled Malawi during the one-party State between 1964 and May 1994—he has worked hard to ensure that he gets the position of vice-president at the convention.

He claimed that Malawians were looking up to MCP as the next government in 2019; hence, his joining after working tirelessly to grow the party despite being an ordinary member.