By Suleman Chitera | Investigations
Lilongwe—Serious questions have emerged over the recruitment of diplomatic and locally-engaged staff in Malawi’s foreign missions during the administration of former President Dr Lazarus Chakwera and the ruling Malawi Congress Party (MCP), with allegations that established procedures were allegedly ignored, politicised, or abused to reward party loyalists and personal allies.
Interviews with former diplomats, civil servants, and internal government sources—supported by fragments of correspondence seen by this publication—suggest a pattern in which recruitment into embassies and high commissions may have departed from the Public Service Act, Diplomatic Service regulations, and merit-based hiring standards traditionally overseen by the Department of Human Resource Management and Development (DHRMD).
Closed Doors, Open Appointments
Multiple sources familiar with embassy operations claim that during the Chakwera presidency, some embassy positions—both diplomatic postings and locally-recruited roles—were allegedly filled without open advertisement, competitive interviews, or clear justification for exemptions.
“People would arrive at missions already appointed,” said one former senior diplomat, requesting anonymity for fear of reprisals. “No interviews, no background checks, sometimes no relevant qualifications. The common factor was political proximity.”
While political appointments are not illegal per se—especially at ambassadorial level—career diplomats and governance experts argue that the scale and opacity of such appointments raised red flags.
Party Loyalty Over Professionalism?
Several sources allege that individuals with direct links to MCP structures, youth wings, or campaign teams were placed in embassies as administrative officers, protocol assistants, or attachés—positions ordinarily reserved for trained civil servants.
Internal memos reviewed by this outlet indicate instances where DHRMD was bypassed, with instructions allegedly originating from senior offices within government to “facilitate deployment.”
If verified, such actions would undermine constitutional principles of fair labour practices and weaken Malawi’s diplomatic service, already strained by underfunding and low morale.
Cost to the Taxpayer
Beyond governance concerns, the alleged abuse has financial implications.
Embassy staff—particularly diplomatic personnel—are entitled to foreign allowances, housing, education grants, medical cover, and travel benefits denominated in foreign currency.
Economists warn that irregular recruitment inflates the wage bill and diverts scarce resources at a time Malawi faces acute foreign exchange shortages.
“Every unnecessary posting abroad is a burden on the Treasury,” said a governance analyst in Lilongwe. “If recruitment was politically motivated, then taxpayers paid the price for patronage.”
Silenced Whistleblowers
Some civil servants claim they raised concerns internally but were ignored or sidelined.
“There was fear,” said one official. “If you questioned instructions, you were labelled anti-government or anti-MCP.”
The fear, sources say, was reinforced by the absence of public audits or parliamentary scrutiny specifically focused on embassy staffing during the period in question.
Legal and Ethical Questions
Malawi’s public service framework requires recruitment to be transparent, competitive, and merit-based, except where lawfully exempted. Governance advocates argue that even political discretion must be exercised within clear limits.
“If embassies became dumping grounds for political cadres, that is an abuse of office,” said a constitutional lawyer. “It erodes professionalism and damages Malawi’s international standing.”
Chakwera, MCP Yet to Respond
By the time of publication, efforts to obtain comment from Dr Lazarus Chakwera, the Malawi Congress Party, and relevant government departments had not yielded a response. This publication remains open to publishing their side.
Calls for an Independent Audit
Civil society organisations are now calling for an independent forensic audit of embassy recruitment between 2020 and 2024, including:
Recruitment processes followed
Qualifications of appointees
Cost implications
Compliance with public service laws
As Malawi prepares for another electoral cycle, the unanswered questions surrounding embassy recruitment raise a broader concern: Was public office used to serve the nation—or to reward political loyalty?
Until full disclosure is made, the cloud over Malawi’s diplomatic service remains
