Opinion By: James Mwangalli
Our Society appears to be obsessed with distorted Information especially when it concerns the Malawi President Prof. Peter Mutharika. It is no exaggeration that for some reason, others seem to enjoy so much on feasting on distorted information. Information that is not true, or one that is fabricated, manipulated and even plagiarized.
Recently there have been pictures flying around depicting the President Peter Mutharika queuing on his trip to Malta, and others suggesting that it was staged to exaggerate the inconvenience the Malawi President is subjected to when he travels commercial.
Well, it is a fact that flying commercial can be inconveniencing for a Head of State, or indeed those who have tight schedules to meet. That is why countries own Presidential jets. That is why serious business gurus the world over own private jets.
Now, did the Presidential delegation or team stage that queuing? The answer is an emphatic NO. The Malawi President travelled through Johannesburg, Dubai then Rome before connecting to Malta. It was in Rome that it was realised that the luggage for the President was left in South Africa. Besides, despite alerting the Presidential team to proceed for boarding, the Malta Airways was not yet ready with clearance issues, hence the HE’s queuing that some decided to consider staged.
Now, in our quest to further fabricate information, there have been a picture of the Kenyan President, showing him purportedly undergoing ordinary and routine airport clearance before boarding, it should be clarified that this was gross misrepresentation of facts. The truth is that the JKIA has since two years ago been automating their airport clearance systems, and on this particular occasion, Uhuru, decided to personally appreciate the progress and how the system works, that is exactly what was happening on that picture, this information can be verified on Uhuru’ Facebook page.
During the UNGA trip, some quarters even praised some foreign Heads of State who left immediately after the meeting or after making their speeches, so yes they did, but that was possible as they have control over their travel arrangements since they have used Presidential jets.
For those not in the know, Uhuru actually left last night to Malta, he had to attend to the Pope first, and immediately the Pope left, he left too, this was possible with the use of a Presidential Jet.
