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.