Joyce Banda on Tuesday said the presidential jet will be sold by mid-October.

The President was speaking to journalists in Lilongwe when she was asked to comment on whether presidential jet would be used again or not. She explained that in the next two weeks the jet will be sold to successful bidder to manage it as it is costly to maintain.

“I have vowed never to use it again because it is very expensive. Just keeping it where it is, it’s costly hence I have been ably informed that in due course the jet will be sold,” Banda said.

Banda further explained that her convoy has been reduced by 25 percent and that security personnel advised her not to reduce it further, saying some motor bikes were taken out of the motorcade as a way of reducing it.

“I have reduced the motorcade by 25 percent. There were about 12 motor bikes but I’m remaining with only five of them.

Security personnel have advised me not to reduce further for security reasons. Some of the vehicles you see on the motorcade don’t belong to me, but rather Ministers,” she said.