Malawi expels UK envoy

Lilongwe, 27 Apr – (ANA) - Malawi has reportedly ordered the UK's High Commissioner to leave the country after he was quoted in a leaked cable as saying the president does not tolerate criticism.

Some 40% of Malawi's budget comes from abroad; the UK is the largest donor.

The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office could not confirm that Mr Fergus Cochrane-Dyet had been ordered out of Malawi.

But a spokesman said that Malawi's charge d' affaires had been summoned and told of the UK's concern at reports of the decision to deport him.

According to the diplomatic cable published by the local Weekend Nation newspaper, Mr Cochrane-Dyet described Malawi's President Bingu wa Mutharika as "becoming ever more autocratic and intolerant of criticism".

He said local civil society activists were afraid after a campaign of threatening phone calls. (ANA)

FA/ANA/27 April 2011---------