Malawi president appoints Zimbabwean to top diplomatic post in South Africa
By Tererai Karimakwenda
   06 November 2006

There are reports that Malawi ’s president Bingu Wa Mutharika defied his parliament recently and appointed a Zimbabwean as Malawi ’s high commissioner to South Africa . Agrinna Mussah, who is a Zimbabwean by birth but has one parent from Malawi , is already in South Africa representing Malawi while the controversy over her appointment intensifies. Our Harare correspondent Simon Muchemwa told us she left Zimbabwe after Mutharika came to power and worked in his office for some time.

John Tembo, a former leader of Malawi ’s ruling party released a statement last week saying the issue would be debated vigorously in parliament in early November. This is not the first time Ms. Mussah has been the subject of controversy in Malawi . Earlier this year Mutharika appointed her to the top diplomatic post in the U.K. But before she left the country a parliamentary committee withdrew the appointment and she remained in Mutharika’s office. But this time Mutharika did not heed parliament’s orders.

Muchemwa told us in Zimbabwe it is widely believed officials who are on the targeted sanctions list banning them from travelling outside Zimbabwe want to use Mussah’s position in South Africa to gain entry to other countries. As high commissioner she can approve and arrange travel documents for them.

Mutharika is married to a Zimbabwean and has been forging closer ties with Robert Mugabe in recent years. We reported last week that he was accused by opposition officials and civic groups in Malawi of sending donated maize to Zimbabwe for free last month. Mutharika also renamed a major roadway after Mugabe this year and arrested opposition officials and activists who had planned to protest at the re-naming ceremony. A plaque with Mugabe’s name placed alongside the road has since been vandalised.