Malawi hit back at UK envoy Nevin’s ‘corruption’ jibe 

Malawi government and some of citizens have hit back at out-going British High Commissioner Michael Nevin that the country has become significantly more corrupt.

In a newspaper interview, Nevin who leaves the country at the end of a four-year tour of duty, warned that rule of law could be permanently undermined by failure to arrest those who break the law.

Malawi government official spokesperson and Information and Civic Education Minister Patricia Kaliati rejected the perception that Malawi’s corruption is worsening.

Kaliati said in Weekend Nation that government has  “a number of things” it is doing to  clean up the administration of  corruption .

She  expressed concern at Nevin’s remarks, saying  the Peter Mutharika led government  has  taken major steps to fight corruption.

Kaliati said Nevin’s remarks were unfair.

Some Malawians commenting on Nyasa Times hit back at Nevin.

“There is rampant corruption in the UK. Do you want me to name the entire list of corrupt MPs who were staying in one house in London but claim two house allowances yet were married and travel expenses as far as from the Mid-land. David Blanket, one of them…” a post of Chimpeni James on Nyasa Times read in part.

And others argued that  it’s Britain, rather than Malawi, which is the most corrupt country in the world.

The fact of the matter is that London is the  drug money laundering capital of the world, commented one observer.

Another comment posted on Nyasa Times read: “I have never liked this man called Nevin or whatever. He pokes his nose into our affairs too much. He thinks Britain owns Malawi.”

Jabulani Banda cited the Westphalian sovereignty,  the principle of international law that each nation has sovereignty over its territory and domestic affairs, to the exclusion of all external powers, on the principle of non-interference in another country’s domestic affairs, and that each state (no matter how large or small) is equal in international law. The doctrine is named after the Peace of Westphalia, signed in 1648.

“I think Nevin has a personal agenda to interfere on local issues. He has aways  be nagging,”  Banda commented.

One posting under the name of ‘Ndamwera Zanga’ wrote: “Why are we stupid to the extent that we tolerate this nonsense? Under the Westphalia Treaty do you know that diplomats are not supposed to interfere with domestic matters of another sovereign state? I conclude that our reporters are dunderheads why cant you some day ask them this? Do you know that if our diplomat share similar sentiments over corruption in the UK with UK media he will be in the next plane home? This is too much.”

He added saying Nevin is a diplomat and not financial intelligence exper, saying “this nonsense must stop tell whosoever is coming after you to watch his mouth”

In an email to Nyasa Times, a social commentator who asked not to be named referred to remarks by to journalist Roberto Saviano, who spent more than a decade exposing the criminal dealings of the Italian Mafia,  who said Britain is the most corrupt country in the world.

One ‘Hard Man’ comment backed Nevin: “But what he is saying is the truth. Why has nobody been arrested as regards Njaunju and Chasowa? Isn’t it you government thugs who murdered the two? And you want him to keep quite? Stop using ‘we in Malawi’ as if all of us agree with you. So of us Malawians would rather he said more of this.”

Others said Nevin was “merely stating a fact” with his comments.

The UK is ranked 10th in Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index, which measures the perceived levels of public sector corruption worldwide.

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