Malawi President Responds To Claim That He Is Intolerant of Critics By Expelling Critical British High Commissioner

Bingu wa Mutharika, the president of Malawi, sure showed his critics. After a cable was leaked showing that British High Commissioner Fergus Cochrane-Dyet was concerned about Mutharika’s intolerance of criticism, Mutharika responded by ordering the High Commissioner of Malawi to leave the country for the first time in history. That will show him for saying Mutherika cannot handle criticism.

In the cable, Mr Cochrane-Dyet described President Mutharika as “becoming ever more autocratic and intolerant of criticism.” He noted a campaign against critics and the growing fear over the restriction of media and free speech.

What is striking is that Malawi is one of the poorest countries in the world and relies heavily on foreign aid. Much of the aid received in the country is coming from Britain. That aid was reduced recently after Mutharika purchased a luxury plane. The plane cost $13.25 million in a country where 75% of the people are living on less than $1 a day.

Source: BBC