“Excuse me Paul, you ain’t leaving for the US,” JB tells Mphwiyo.

President Joyce Banda, acting under the pressure of donors, has rescinded an earlier decision she made allowing Paul Mphwiyo to leave for the US on a three-four year sabbatical leave.

Information that FaceofMalawi has indicates that the President had to revisit her decision after some donors cautioned her against the decision as Mphwiyo is a key-witness in the Cashgate scandal.

Late last year, the Chief Secretary to the cabinet, Hawa Ndilowe, is believed to have given Mphwiyo the go-ahead to leave for the US in January this year under the instructions of President Banda who wanted to get rid of Mphwiyo so that some of the Cashagate cases can be stalled as her Peoples’ Party (PP) has been linked to them.

However, with the pressure from donors, Mphwiyo has had the privilege he got revoked from him as the President has ordered that she stay around.

“The problem is that Mphwiyo was only communicated to informally that he would be leaving for the US and was told that all the papers would be dully signed this month (January) before he leaves,” said a source within the ranks of power.

The decision to hold him from a possible hiding in the US is said to have affected the ex-Budget Director in the Ministry of Finance very much such that now he is frequently seen at his mother’s place in Blantyre seeking prayers from various men of God as he is beginning to fear that the President might sacrifice her to please donors.

“Paul is afraid as well that the President can offer her to the long arm of the law just to please donors. With what she did to Ralph (Kasambara), Paul thinks nobody can really call the President a friend,” a source disclosed.