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Sadc denies paying for JB travel costs

The president bids people farewell on one of the trips on the jet
The president bids people farewell on one of the trips on the jet

The storm over President Joyce Banda’s use of sold presidential jet refuses to abate as the Southern Africa Development Community (Sadc) has denied paying for her travel cost, saying the organisation never pays for the travel of African heads of State.

The revelation comes at a time the President is accused of using the same plane government off-loaded last year to cut costs.

State House presidential press secretary Steven Nhlane recently explained that the President’s “well-wishers” were funding her trips abroad, including her attendance of Nelson Mandela funeral.

But in an interview with United Kingdom’s Telegraph published on Wednesday, Sadc spokesperson Leefa Martin, told the newspaper that she had never heard of the organisation paying for the travel of African heads of State.

“How can [Nhlane] not know how the travel of his boss is paid for?” Martin is quoted as saying.

The President was captured next to the sold plane in Nairobi, Kenya in December where she attended the peace signing deal between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Government and M23 rebel group after attending the Nelson Mandela memorial service in South Africa.

In November, she flew to Pretoria to attend the Sadc/International Conference on the Great Lakes Region Summit on a plane, which Nhlane said was chartered by well-wishers.

But when asked who the well-wishers were, Nhlane replied: “You do not have to know them. Besides, they have told us not to disclose their identities. That is what friends are meant for, helping each other.”

When pressed to clarify, he said the travel costs were borne by those who invited the President to attend their event, citing Sadc as an organisation that also paid for her travel as the current chairperson of the regional bloc, an assertion Sadc has denied, according to the Telegraph.

Banda has been under pressure to explain her use of the jet, which was sold to Bohnox Enterprises.

Nhlane had not responded to a questionnaire The Nation sent to him on the latest revelations while the President’s special adviser on communications and politics, Elias Wakuda Kamanga, asked for time to read the article and consult before responding.

But he told the Telegraph that: “The President has been accepting any appropriate means of transport available. We are now going towards an election campaign and people will say anything to dent the image of the President.”

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12 Comments

  1. Does Steve want us to believe that the well wishers gives the Jet to Joyce Banda as Mrs Richard Banda’s and businesswoman or as Malawi’s president. If she is given the Jet as Malawi’s president then Malawians are entitled to know who this generous well wisher and friend is. Otherwise JB will have a case to answer on this as it smacks of corruption and frauding Malawians.
    Moreover JB has had a lot of controversial issues just in under 2 years. Now give her 5 years what will happen.

  2. Am afraid, africans we r foolish. We don’t know how to handle things internally and externally, very shame!

  3. Where were these ‘well wishers’ when she was Vice President and needed that generosity the most?

  4. SADC has denied funding my presidents trips. Is this another “gate”. We take this as ‘white colour’ frauid unless they tell us who are the ‘well wishers’ without hidden agendas. 2 years zonsezi? I cry for my country Malawi.

  5. I really like it when people, more especially those in authority, act before they think. this seems to be a big problem to lots of people.
    People should learn to be honest. it can be a simple matter if she can openly say, sorry Malawians, I thought it was a big deal by selling the jet but now I confess for that. I assure you that people can understand not manipulating our minds for things which we already know is a mistake.
    Negative + negative however bodza + bodza is never and will never be truth

  6. So are u taking us for granted uthink we are kids who doesn’t know where to get food for the day u are foolish

  7. If we Malawians have brain then we should claim back this Jet. We were proud that our president was using her own Malawian Jet. But using it behind doors-no. The Malawian precious asset should be brought back. Whatever amount we received from the sale it should be paid back. We better pack it at Airwing in Lilongwe or Zomba until such a time a sensible president comes. I believe MPs Civil Society, Clergy , opposition parties and all Malawians can not be fooled by this lady President

  8. Liar, liar, her mouth is on fire! Rarely does Joyce Banda tell the truth: her tendency borders on pathological! The lady simply does not believe in transparency, period. The list of her lies is too long. Where to start? I haven’t enough time to catalogue everything! All I want now is a new government; one that pays more than lip service to the needs of this country. Needed is the person with bold ideas; perhaps one whose party has a positive economic track record! Kodi mwam’va Mai?

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