President Joyce Banda’s insistence that she will continue travelling across the country regardless of general concerns on the same has irked Public Affairs Committee (Pac), which says is consulting to decide the next course of action.

At its recent stakeholders meeting, Pac—which made headlines in March this year for demanding the resignation of the late President Bingu wa Mutharika over bad governance—asked President Banda to minimise her penchant for travel as part of austerity measures.

However, Banda has been challenging her critics on the matter during her flour distribution rallies, saying she cannot stop travelling even if all state vehicles are taken away from her.

This, according to Pac Publicity Secretary Maurice Munthali, is arrogance of the highest order, which should be addressed before it is too late.

“It is unfortunate that the president cannot listen to the concerns raised through Pac. Ihope every Malawian knows that the President has vowed never to stop travelling around.

“On this, we therefore have to consult all our stakeholders and members. If they demand that we have another meeting to see the forward following this defiance, we will have to take that route,” Munthali said on Wednesday.

Munthali, however, said Pac was expecting to meet a presidential team with which they would discuss on how best to tackle other issues such as Section 64 and 65, stopping the doubling up of MPs as ministers, and restricting presidential powers, among others.

He said after meeting this team, Pac will then engage Malawi Law

Commission and Speaker of Parliament on how best to go about some of these recommendations.

On Pac’s stance on Banda’s said arrogance, Presidential Press Secretary Steven Nhlane said it would not be right to comment on the matter since Pac was expecting to meet the President on the same.

“Iam sure Pac’s quest and request to meet the President are in good faith, and therefore, I would not want anything to come in the way of such a meeting,” he said.

He, however, said he was aware of a “fruitful” meeting Pac had with the President last month at Sanjika Palace in Blantyre and wondered if Pac was looking for another one.

But Munthali, while acknowledging the meeting, said President Banda had told them that other issues needed technical people hence the impending meeting with this presidential team of technocrats.