Mutharika Denies Hiring 'Expensive' Jet To UN General Assembly

• Seeks Apology
• All that was said was false

Mutharika: All were lies and nonsense

Not this Jet: Mutharika says never used expensive jet

President Peter Mutharika has denied assertions that he hired a very expensive Jet and had with it to United States the whole time he was attending the United Nations (UN) General Assembly.

Media reports indicates President Mutharika hired an expensive aircraft Global Express Bombardier BD-700-1A10 from Ocean Sky Private Jet Company which is costing Malawi Government US$ 12,800 per flight hour.

“This was mentioned by this irresponsible radio station and also by the spokesperson of Malawi Congress Party. This is completely false, it is a lie and they owe me an apology” Said Mutharika during the press conference held at Kamuzu Palace following his attendance to the UN General Assembly

As he insisted that he never rented a jet to go to United States and be used for his stay, however, Mutharika said he chartered an executive a jet for five and half hour flight to Dubai and from there took a commercial flight to USA and did the same as he came back.

“And we paid for five and half hour flight that’s all! Whatever they are saying it’s a small jet which has a capacity of 12 passengers. That’s all!” said Mutharika who in his remarks said it was not an expensive Jet as described by various commentators

“To say that I rented a jet to United States is a complete lie, it is false and people who said that I hope they are decent enough to apologise to me. Because they hurt me they are turning this country against me and it is wrong. It’s wrong, wrong, wrong.” Repeated Mutharika who looked so annoyed on the matter then added, “Its shame on them for those lies.”

“Soon, am expected to go to India. So I want these people to tell me now, how I should get to India without hiring the a Jet” queried Mutharika

While indicating that he was only president who went to the UN General Assembly using commercial flight, the Malawi leader underscores importance of the President having good mode of transport when flying outside the country. He said although Malawi is poor, but it would be seem to be “silly” for the president to sit at the airport for more hours just to catch a flight.

“I need proper connections, one time I was at airport for 10 hours. Do you want your president to sit at airport for 10 hours? If you don’t like me as a person I don’t care, but respect the office of the presidency.”

“So, these small issues: kind of politics which are meaningless, personal politics of creating and criticizing every efforts, everything done without any basis I think it is a shame that this country is going through this direction. I think we need to get away from that and try to build this country.” President Mutharika Appealed.

When responding to media questions Mutharika also said his administration has no plans to buy Jet and is not among priorities.

“What am interested in and maybe we should be asking is what we should do about the jet that was stolen. That should be the concern! …That was our money! ...Where is the money? ... By the way the Jet was not bought by donor money it was bought on taxpayer’s money"