Malawi’s new president has announced that the presidential jet and fleet of 60 Mercedes limousines would be sold, in a move applauded as an example to other leaders.
Joyce Banda said she was happy to “offload” the presidential perks, adding: “I can well use private airlines. I am used to hitchhiking.”
Banda, formerly the vice-president, took over from Bingu wa Mutharika in April when he suffered a heart attack. Since then, she has sacked former members of the “old guard” in the cabinet and security services, brought back Malawi’s old flag and pledged to lift the country’s ban on homosexuality.
Most recently, she followed long-standing IMF advice to devalue Malawi’s currency by one third.
The move caused panic buying and a sharp rise in the prices of basic foods and fuel.
But her decisions have seen donors including the EU, Britain, Germany, Norway and the World Bank re-establish warm relations with Malawi.
And Britain, Malawi’s biggest bilateral aid donor, is to send a Bank of England expert to help stabilise the currency. – Irish Independent