The Malawi government has recalled all diplomats serving in foreign missions abroad to prepare for new appointments, according to Nyasa Times. Speculation regarding incoming ambassadors has circulated widely on social media, but government officials state that no formal list of diplomatic postings has been released yet.
Attorney General Frank Mbeta secured a major legal victory for the government by successfully blocking a K23.4 billion payout to Nendongo Commercial Group, Nyasa Times reports. The High Court Commercial Division overturned a previous arbitration award that would have required the state and the Smallholder Farmers Fertilizer Revolving Fund of Malawi to compensate the company over a fertilizer supply contract dispute.
Minister of Energy and Mining Dr. Jean Mathanga held high-level meetings with the executive management of the Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi to demand immediate improvements in power delivery, according to Nyasa Times. Mathanga pushed for stronger action against persistent blackouts and warned that consumers should not carry the cost of the utility's inefficiency.
Update: Following its recent office eviction in Lilongwe, the Malawi Electoral Commission is appealing to Parliament for a review of commissioners' employment benefits. Nyasa Times reports that Chairperson Annabel Mtalimanja told the Public Appointments Committee that the current economic crisis and government austerity measures have severely diminished the value of their conditions of service.