JB says a lot has improved in Malawi in one year
Many things in Malawi have changed in social and economic terms in the past 12 months of President Joyce Banda’s reign, the Malawi leader told a mass rally at Masintha Ground in the Capital City, Lilongwe on Sunday.
Speaking to thousands of supporters, the Malawi leader who has won praise from the international community for introducing economic reforms said she will remain on course with the recovery programme.
President Banda also chastised those who speak against her foreign trips, saying she has been bringing back money for the country from her trips unlike what other politician have been doing.
She said during recent trips to Botswana and Ghana she managed to bring back home about 60 billion Pound Sterling which she said will help in the developing the country.
Banda also bragged about his recent invitation to the United States, priding herself to have sat close to US president Barak Obama whom she described as the “most powerful leader in the world”.
“Initially I was not supposed to seat where I sat because it was reversed for Cape Verde’s president but it was Obama who asked me to sit there [near Obama],” she said.
She also said Obama has promised to send American doctors to help alleviate the shortages of medical staff in public hospitals.
“The former [US] president Clinton and his Hilary are also sending drugs for hospitals…” she said.
She, however, said her agenda this year was to work with marginalized group, saying that was why she met people with disabilities earlier in the day at the State House which were accompanied by minister of disability Reen Kachere.
“I will make sure that (MACOHA) Malawi Council for the Handicapped has resumed its operations and are exporting their products abroad through Agoa,” she said, adding the Ghanaian company with soon come to Malawi to start working with MACOHA.
” I have decided to dedicate 30 percent of my pay to go to the ministry responsible for people with disabilities to contribute in supporting people with disabilities.”
She also said her government will ensure that State grain marketer ADMARC depots are restocked with staple food maize and urged her party officials not to be involved in the unscrupulous habits of poking their nose into maize sales at ADMARC depots.
She also disclosed that her government has imposed a ban on maize exports.
“I have instructed the police and Malawi army to deal with anybody exporting maize. And anyone who wants to be dealing in maize business should must have a license to do so,” she said.
Banda took office after the death of president Bingu wa Mutharika on April 5, 2012.
She also poked fun at her mercurial predecessor the late Mutharika’s failed economic policies.
