JB rubbishes State House ‘olive branch’ over entitlement: No new vehicles yet

Former president Joyce Banda has rebutted a statement by State House press office that government has bought two Toyota VX V8 for her, saying it is callous propaganda.

State House press officer Justice Mponda said President Mutharika directed the government to purchase “two brand new Toyota vehicles” for former president Banda.

He said the vehicles have been purchased as part of the President’s pledge” to extend an olive branch to the former president and end a tradition of cat and mouse relationship that exists between former presidents and their successors.”

Banda: Has constitutional entitlements not favours
Banda: Has constitutional entitlements not favours

But the former president through her media liason officer, Tusekele Mwanyongo, said “it is not true” that Banda has received two brand new Toyota Land Cruiser VX vehicles from Government.

“What may be true though is that Government may be contemplating buying the said vehicles for the former Head of State,” said Mwanyongo.

He explained that the Government had initially asked the former President to keep two old vehicles that she was using when she was Head of State—a Toyota Land Cruiser VX and a Mercedes Benz.

“The Government has indicated that it will indeed buy new vehicles for the former President should resources be available,” Mwanyongo pointed out.

“We wish to emphasize that no new vehicle has been bought yet for Her Excellency Dr. Joyce Banda. Suffice to say, it is in order to thank the new Government for indicating that it will buy new vehicles for the former President.”

Mwanyongo said the office of former president do “ not want to entertain the State House Press Officer’s ‘olive branch’ remarks in as far as provision of transport to the former Head of State is concerned. “

He pointed out: “Dr. Joyce Banda is a former Head of State and she deserves vehicles and such other perks as provided for in the Republican Constitution. It is her constitutional entitlement to have vehicles bought by the Government of Malawi.

“This strategy of holding the former President at ransom must stop. She is not at the mercy of any one individual but God the almighty alone.”

The former president is also entitled to a house but Banda was thrown out of State House without the house being provided up to now.

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