Backlash over Malawi’s approach to Mike Tyson

Malawi has defended its decision to invite the former heavyweight champion boxer Mike Tyson to become the country's official cannabis ambassador following a backlash over his rape conviction in the 1990s. Malawi last year legalised the growing and processing of cannabis for medicinal purposes, although it stopped short of decriminalising recreational use. Agriculture Minister Lobin Low last week approached Tyson – who has been involved in the cannabis industry in the US through various ventures – inviting him to become the face of the country's cannabis industry in a bid to attract investors and create more opportunities for tourism. However, the Malawi’s Centre for Public Accountability (CPA) has accused the government of ignoring Tyson's past convictions. Kondwani Munthali, acting director of the CPA, reportedly told CNN that the appointment would be ‘wrong,’ adding: ‘We would want a less controversial character.’ Gender Minister Patricia Kaliati said ‘it’s about business and the economic business of cannabis’. ‘We look for the prominent people, the decision makers who can say a thing which can be recognised internationally,’ she said.