Diplomat Living Kalimanjira, First Secretary (Social Development) at the Malawi Embassy at the United Nations in New York, has been recalled with immediate effect on suspicion of leaking information regarding President Peter Mutharika’s visit to the United States of America (USA).
Mutharika is currently in New York attending the 70th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) where he has come under fire for taking with him a delegation of about 121 people.
Government is still grappling to explain to Malawians how 121 people left the country for New York when Mutharika is said to have only approved 18 people to travel to US.
On Monday, a source confided in The Nation that members of the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) who are part of the Malawi entourage reported that the 40-year-old Kalimanjira was responsible for the leakage of the information to the public.
Said the source: “One guy from the embassy here in New York is the fall guy on the leakage of information on the Malawi delegation. His name is Living Kalimanjira. [NIB director general Nicholas] Dausi claims he is the one leaking details and he is being recalled immediately.”
When contacted, Kalimanjira, while confirming about his recall, only said: “I talked to God and he has advised me to accept what others have decided to do to me and my family. I and my family have accepted this decision as it is.”
Kalimanjira was appointed to the post by former president Joyce Banda two years ago after working as a member of Banda’s media team.
Minister of Information, Tourism and Civic Education Jappie Mhango on Monday confirmed about Kalimanjira’s recall, but said it has nothing to do with the issue of the delegation.
He said government was recalling people from the embassies as one way of cutting costs.
“It is actually two people that have been recalled at Malawi embassy at the UN. Government is a huge institution, it makes decisions at any time and this is just a coincident,” he said.
The other person to be recalled is Charles Mkandawire who was working as a counsellor.
