Malawi recalls diplomat Brigadier Chirwa from Kenya

Malawi President Peter Mutharika has recalled the country’s High Commissioner to Kenya, Brigadier Marcel Chirwa (retired) who was arrested during the DPP-era under late president Bingu wa Mutharika on trumped up charges of treason.

Chirwa was initially posted to the east African country by former president Joyce Banda as deputy high commissioner when Malawi mission in Nairobi was reopened on March 1, 2013.

Government has said the recall is a normal process.

“This is a fresh recall, so he is not into the country yet. Government regulations provide for at least three-month notice service before one reports back home to allow for proper winding up  of government and personal business in the country one has been serving,”  Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation spokesperson Quent Kalichero is quoted as saying.

Chirwa’s recall comes at a time when he is still mourning the death of his son, a journalist Denis Chirwa who was brutally murdered by unknown assailants in Nairobi recently.

He was arrested in 2008 by the Bingu wa Mutharika’s administration on suspicion that they wanted to overthrow the government.

Chirwa was  arrested alongside former UDF secretary general Kennedy Mwakwangwala, former Blantyre mayor John Chikakwiya, former inspector general of the Malawi Police Service Joseph Aironi, former Malawi Police commissioner Matthews Masoapyola, and former commander of the Malawi Defense Force (MDF) late Joseph Chimbayo.

They were subsequently charged with treason. Both Chimbayo and Aironi were removed in 2005 by late Mutharika for perceived loyalty to former president Bakili Muluzi.

In addition, other active-duty military generals Brig. Cosgrove Mituka and Brig. Juvenalis Mtende, Commander of the Zomba Air Wing – were also detained for questioning.

Muluzi was also charged with treason but the case turned up to be trumped up. Government compensated the arrested people for wrongful imprisonment and Muluzi is also pushing for his compensation.