Malawi diplomat designate called Mugabe ‘idiot’

Diplomatic ties between Lilongwe and Harare are likely to face a blow after President Peter Mutharika appointed a man who once described President Robert Mugabe as an “idiot” to be the new ambassador to Zimbabwe.

According to Nyasa Times, Thoko Banda made the comments in 2006 during his stay as a political asylum seeker in Germany.

In an interview posted on The Foreigner, Banda, who is set to present his credentials to Mugabe, described the veteran leader as an “idiot” and a “horrible man”.

Banda, 50, was explaining his sour relations with Bakili Muluzi and the late Bingu wa Mutharika’s governments, developments that led him to flee the country twice.

Banda said the difference between Mugabe and the other leaders was that he (Mugabe) hurts not only his own people but also foreigners.

“You won’t hear about it in the West. You will hear about Zimbabwe, because Zimbabwe has an idiot. I am sorry, I know you are recording, but they have an Idiot for president,” Banda was quoted as saying then.

“This guy Robert Mugabe. I hope that he lives a very long time, so that one day he can go before an international tribunal. He is a horrible man.”

“The only difference between Mugabe and some of the other leaders is that Mugabe hurts not only his own people but also foreigners. That is why they hate him so much in the West. Leaders like mine, they are cleverer. And I know how it works. They know, as long they are nice to foreigners they can stay.”

Nyasa Times said the Zimbabwean government was already working on barring Banda from taking up the post, with experts advising Malawi to reverse the appointment rather than wait for possible action from Harare.

The report said Harare had received his appointment with reservations. News24