Rustenburg - Malawi's government has recalled its ambassador to Ethiopia and the African Union Chimango Chirwa, who will take up a position in the public service, the Nyasa Times reported.
It said Chirwa would be replaced by former Minister of Gender Cecilia Chazama who lost her parliamentary seat in Blantyre North East during May elections.
President Peter Mutharika has also appointed ruling Democratic Progressive Party politician Khwauli Msiska as Malawi's high commissioner to South Africa, replacing Gloria Bamusi who was acting in the position.
Nyasa Times said the government had started cracking the whip after an extensive audit report exposed rot in the country's 10 foreign missions, includiing those in Ethiopia, the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan and China, where two billion Malawian kwacha in public money could not be accounted for.
The audit report covers the period from 2013 to 2017 and shows daring fraudulent payments into personal accounts, advances and external allowances.
According to the newspaper, the list of the recalled diplomats shows that some of them were attachés whose contracts expired as far back as 2009, but who remained at the embassies on government payroll 10 years down the line.
There has been widespread criticism of Malawi's diplomatic service which has mainly been appointed based on political affiliation to parties in government. Many have advocated for career diplomats to represent the country if it is to benefit from representation abroad through trade, among other things.