A Malawian diplomat recorded as saying Zimbabwe has an idiot for a president has turned down the job as his country’s ambassador to Harare.

The deeply embarrassed foreign ministry in Lilongwe is not commenting.

Thoka Banda, who’s served as Malawi’s ambassador to Japan and Germany was surprised when President Peter Mutharika named him as his chief envoy to Zimbabwe.

Banda says he’s sure there are other Malawians more amenable to serving at that particular post at this particular time,.

While in Germany, Banda went on the record calling President Robert Mugabe an idiot.

He said he hoped Mugabe lives a long time, so that one day he can go before an international tribunal adding that he is a horrible man.

Banda says he has an extensive history of effective human rights advocacy and I would never sell out his human rights commitments just for a position.

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