LILONGWE (MaraviPost)—The Mutharika administration says it has no plans to buy a presidential jet as President Mutharika’s press secretary Gerald Viola submitted during an exclusive interview on Times TV yesterday.
In a press statement signed by information minister Jappie Mhango, government says “it has learnt with shock and disappointment through an article in the Malawi News dated 31st October, 2015 that His Excellency the State President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika and his government have plans to purchase another Presidential Jet once the economy is back on track.”
Viola was quoted by Malawi News that Mutharika is considering to buy a presidential jet once the economy picks up.
The government spokesperson says “neither the State President nor any Ministry or any government agencies have these alleged plans to procure any presidential jet now or in future,” adding further that “the State President’s commitment in exercising financial prudence and cutting down on unnecessary expenditure remains as ever before.”
During the interview, Viola also insinuated that President Mutharika is a puppet who is not in charge of the country as appointments in various positions are done by his aides (Puppet masters) and not him.
On this, government says Malawians must know that “it is the State President that makes appointments through a process that involves submission of at least three proposed names to a position complete with Curriculum Vitae (CVs) by the Chief Secretary from which His Excellency makes the appointments after thorough scrutiny of the individuals.”
Malawi government had a presidential jet which was sold during the short regime of the Peoples Party (PP) under Joyce Banda.