Malawi invites bid for 14-seat presidential jet
Malawi government has announced that it will be inviting bids for its 14-seat presidential jet as it tries to raise much-needed revenue.
The Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC) said in a tender notice that the plane will be sold to the highest bidder.
The Dassault Falcon 900EX, built in 1998 was in “perfect flying condition” and can fly a range of 4,500 nautical miles (8,380 km) non-stop, according to the notice.
Government said it had decided that the jet should be disposed off “on as is basis” to an interested individual/firm.
“The bids will be opened and offers read out in the presence of interested buyers or their representatives and any member of the general public on 20 February,” said the notice.
“The successful bidder will be required to make a deposit of at least half the offered amount within fifteen (15) days from the date of official communication about the bid success. The balance shall be settled within thirty (30) days from the date of the first deposit but before collection of the aircraft,” said the notice.
“The successful bidder will make own arrangements for collection of the aircraft from Malawi and pay all other necessary airport and aircraft export fees required by law.”
The notice said interested buyers may make arrangements for viewing the aircraft with Ernest Kantchentche or Samson Ngutwa at Office of President and can be contacted on Email: [email protected]/[email protected].
Sealed bids appropriately marked “Purchase of Executive Jet” are advised to be addressed to:-The Chairperson, Internal Procurement Committee, Office of the President and Cabinet; P/Bag 301, Lilongwe 3, Malawi.
Donors cut aid to Malawi by $4.4 million after the purchase.
President Joyce Banda has refused to travel in the jet since she took office last April. She has said money from the sale of the plane would be used to provide basic services for Malawi’s poor.
Her predecessor, the late Bingu wa Mutharika, was strongly criticised for buying the jet five years ago at a cost of about $13.3m (£8.5m), despite poverty in the country.
At the time Mutharika said it was “cheap to run”, despite his country depending on aid inflows for almost half its budget.
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