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We do not need presidential jet

1 August 2012 Nation Opinion

The high cost of purchasing and maintaining the presidential jet as revealed by Weekend Nation investigations should serve as a lesson on the need for our leaders to guard against uncontrollable obsession with opulence amid poverty.

We are saying this because while the former regime was preoccupied with massaging the ego of an individual by ensuring he travelled on the presidential jet which drew millions of kwacha in maintenance costs, the standard of living of millions of Malawians was fast deteriorating through poor health service delivery, escalating prices, fuel and forex shortages among other challenges.

In fact, our leaders must never forget that Malawi is among 10 poorest nations of the world. This, needless to say, calls for prudence in our leaders when it comes to setting priorities, bearing in mind that they are in their positions not to satisfy their taste for comfort, but for the larger good.

Since the jet continues to consume huge amounts of taxpayers’ money although it is currently not being used, we strongly urge government to move fast on the issue.

But in all fairness, Malawi is not ready for such a huge expenditure that benefits just an individual; the jet should either be sold or leased out.