By Cathy Maulidi:
The Malawian Embassy in Tel Aviv, Israel, is embroiled in controversy as Chargé d’Affaires David Bisnowaty has formally requested that his pro bono (without pay) contract be converted to that of a paid position, citing unsustainable personal expenses and the approval of the embassy’s budget by the Malawi Government.
This development has reignited questions surrounding the legality of his appointment and the operational procedures of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In a letter addressed to the ministry, Bisnowaty details his tenure since arriving in Israel on December 23, 2023.
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The letter indicates that his task included the establishment of a new embassy.
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“Upon my appointment in January 2023 and subsequent arrival in Israel on December 23, 2023, I was tasked with establishing the new embassy in Tel Aviv, despite the absence of an allocated budget,” Bisnowaty writes.
“Understanding the critical nature of this diplomatic mission, I accepted the assignment and have been operating on a pro bono basis, utilising my own residence as a temporary office,” he adds.
According to Bisnowaty, the financial strain of operating without remuneration in Israel, a country known for its high cost of living, is hard.
“Since my appointment, I have personally borne all operational expenses, including but not limited to, fuel, housing and extensive travel costs,” he says.
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“Unfortunately, this arrangement is unsustainable given the extremely high cost of living in Israel, necessitating a formal adjustment of my contract to reflect appropriate remuneration,” he says.
Bisnowaty’s letter also highlights the recent approval of the embassy’s budget, saying that has prompted him to request for retroactive pay.
“With the budget for the Tel Aviv mission now being approved and funded for the 2024-25 fiscal year, it is both reasonable and imperative that my contract be amended, aligning with the budget approval date,” he said.
When contacted on the issue regarding the letter, Bisnowaty said: “Do you also want to know what I have done for Malawi in the past year?”
When contacted, Foreign Affairs Minister Nancy Tembo said what Bisnowaty has requested was part of their agreement when he was appointed.
“The agreement was that he would go and work pro bono until there was a budget line. This was so because we needed to have an office as soon as possible. He reported for duties and did everything for Malawi. That was pro bono until there was a budget line. That was the agreement between us and him. He wasn’t going to work for free forever; that couldn’t happen,” Tembo said.
When Bisnowaty was appointed to the position, some civil society organisations and members of the Public Appointments Committee (Pac) of Parliament raised questions regarding the legality of his appointment.
Joyce Chitsulo, the-then Pac chairperson and now Local Government Deputy Minister, is on record to have accused the government of bypassing procedures.
She said at the time that he would have gone through pac.
In April last year, Malawi opened its embassy in Tel Aviv.
Tembo—who was accompanied by other
