Malawi president: I was begged to be physically present at UK virtual summit

Lazarus Chakwera, president of Malawi, says he was begged to be physically present at the virtual Global Education summit in the United Kingdom. 

There were reports that Chakwera allegedly said poor internet connection in his country informed his decision to travel to the UK for the summit which is a virtual conference.

The statement credited to the Malawi president sparked criticisms but Brian Branda, the government’s spokesman, told TheCable that the president never made such a statement.

“I did not say that, and nobody at the palace said that; this is the work of our detractors and we have issued a statement of all the engagements the president is going to have in London,” he had said.

The Malawi president was said to have been accompanied by 10 delegates, including his wife and daughter, on the trip but he reportedly dropped the minister for foreign affairs.

Speaking on HARDtalk, a BBC programme, Chakwera said all the ten people on his entourage had a responsibility to perform at the summit.

“Everyone has a responsibility like you just mentioned. It is not that I’ve included them; they are part because I’ve brought my wife. And I didn’t invite myself, by the way, to this conference. I’ve done conferences in Malawi virtually, over ten of them,” Chakwera said.

“This was an appeal to me to be present here personally, in order that we might deal with some needs.”

Asked why he did not bring his foreign affairs minister along, he replied: “I brought Malawians that are doing something along with me on this trip and they are just as valuable.”