By Linda Kwanjana
Government is facing accusations of breaching its own laws in the handling of Malawi’s Ambassador to Kuwait, Younos Abdul Karim, a matter that has now moved to the Industrial Relations Court in Blantyre.
Karim, who was appointed Ambassador in 2022 and presented his letters of credence in May 2022, has served for four years and five months in Kuwait. His deputy, Alison Liwanda, has served as Malawi Deputy Ambassador to Kuwait for 15 years.
The confusion started on 14 May, 2026, when Government appointed Karim as Ambassador to Kuwait and later changed its position. On 31 August, 2026, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs wrote to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kuwait withdrawing the appointment of Alison Liwanda as Ambassador-designate and confirming that Karim remains substantive Ambassador.
However, barely two weeks later, on 14 September, 2026, government wrote Karim requiring him to return from Kuwait by 30 September, 2026 and hand over Head of Mission functions.
The two-week notice is in direct violation of the law government itself invoked earlier.
Instead of honouring the three-month statutory notice period prescribed under MPSR 4:105, government gave Karim just 16 days – from 14th to 30th September to wind up and return.
This breach forced Karim to seek court intervention. He has now obtained an Interim Order from the Industrial Relations Court in Blantyre.
According to the order, the applicant, Younos Abdul Karim, shall be treated by the respondents – the Attorney General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Chief Secretary – and the Embassy of Malawi in Kuwait as a serving Ambassador of Malawi to the State of Kuwait, pending further determination.
The case exposes a pattern of inconsistency. Government first sought agrément for Liwanda, then withdrew it without reason, then reaffirmed Karim as Ambassador, only to recall him again in breach of MPSR 4:105.
Under standard diplomatic procedure, a Head of Mission is expected to formally notify host authorities of changes to diplomatic staff, a process that has also been questioned after sources indicated delays in notifying Kuwaiti authorities.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is yet to explain why it disregarded the three-month notice requirement under MPSR 4:105 and why it ordered a two-week return, now subject to a court injunction.
