I just finished reading an interview with the President of the Republic of Malawi, Mrs. Joyce Banda, who will be one year in office on April 7, having come to power after the death of President Bingu wa Muntharika to whom she was deputy. I thought I should share this with fellow nairalanders:

Below are excerpts from the interview:



You did something unusual when you sold your presidential jet and the exotic Mercedes Benz cars in the presidential fleet. What was the motivation for that and in the light of your many travels abroad, looking back would you say that selling off the plane was a good decision?

It was not a good decision to sell the president trial jet, but one I had to take, I didn’t have a choice. Actually, a plane for the presidential is not a luxury, it is a must. But all Malawians made a decision that we are going to make sacrifices. I spoke to all Malawians: ‘Are you ready for us to take the tough route into the future in order to prosper? We need to devalue, to do this, are you ready?’ They said yes. The first person to demonstrate it was me. Therefore, I had to make that sacrifice. I am told, a plane, whether it is flying or parked, you are losing money. Therefore, this is a great loss of money, so let it go.

Number two, I had to cut my salary by 30 per cent. I just have to demonstrate to Malawians that I can make that sacrifice. I just gave up my salary; in fact, I get a token now, for your information, $2,000. So, I am not here because I want to make money, I gets $2,000 as monthly salary and I don’t even see it because at the end of the day, I pay school fees for 2,200 girls. So, I just send it to the schools and God looks after me. My vice president equally did the same. Suddenly, I found that it is getting down. Everybody realises we have a responsibility, a duty, everybody is suffering. So, selling the presidential jet was a must. I know that another president will come and build this economy, we shall prosper. And I shall get out because I have to leave, I can’t be here forever. Another person will come and buy himself a plane. I have no problem with that but at that point it will make sense. We will have a plane, we can run it, we will have the resources and everybody will be living a better life.

Source: http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/i-earn-2000-monthly-malawian-president/

I'm shocked. So there are still credible leaders who have the interest of their populace at heart in africa. hmmmm and here in naija one otueke baboon de chop only food for 3million naira daily.

Africa is growing little by little we are heading to the top

If all she said is the truth and nothing deviating from the truth. They i think i will advise Allison Madueke to honorably adopt her as a role model.

$2000? This is just a chicken change in the hands of our councillors.