Malawi VP’s security detail changed
Malawi government has moved the security detail of the Vice President Joyce Banda to different police stations, Nyasa Times has learnt.
The security staff who are members if Malawi Police Service have been deployed to different police stations country wide.
“Only 8 have remained at the vice president’s office. The rest have been deployed to several police stations like Karonga, Mchinji, Liwonde and as Chitipa,” said the source.
Spokes person for Vice President Ruth Govati could not confirm nor deny when contacted by Nyasa Times.
“It can be true or it cannot be but I cannot give you the real answer because am on leave at the moment,” Govati said.
Internal Affairs Minister Aaron Sangala could not comment on the development.
However, the source said the ones that have been transferred include drivers, bodyguards and those that guard the VP’s residence.
“The 8 that have remained include the Guard Commander and a few security detail for the second citizen,” said the source.
By law, the Vice President, is entitled to government accommodation, security and funding for her office. However, since the disagreement with her boss, the government has been slowly withdrawing services to the Vice-President.
In July, the Mutharika administration reduced funding for the Office of the Vice-President by 60 percent from around K330 million (about $2.2 million) last year to about K130 million (about $855 263) this year.
It also reduced spending on motor vehicle running expenses from about K25 million (about $164 473) to around K6 million (about $39 473.)
The VP broke ranks with President Mutharika in December last year when Banda refused to endorse the President’s brother, Professor Peter Mutharika, to inherit power in 2014.
Banda has been lately organising political rallies criticising government under the platform of her People’s Party (PP).
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