A dark shadow of doubt hangs over the return to Malawi of President Joyce Banda, who seems to have discovered gold in her globe trotting, Peoples Party Confidential can reveal.

The President who has already spent two weeks visiting the United Kingdom, Botswana and now USA is expected to proceed on a vacation after visiting the world super power nation. Our State House sources traveling with the Malawian leader have disclosed President Banda will travel to Canada for her holiday.

During the holiday, the sources say Banda is expected to attend lecturers for her masters degree that she has been doing online. Banda has been reading for a Master of Arts Degree in Leadership at Royal Roads University in Canada.

The president claims she already has a Bachelor of Social Studies in Gender Studies from the Atlantic International University and a Diploma in Management of NGOs from the International Labour Organisation, although evidence of this has never been presented.

It is not yet known when the Malawi President will return to the country but the total time to be spent outside Malawi may now be over a month. As the State President is busy globe trotting, Malawi is faced with serious economic and humanitarian challenges including a sky rocketing in basic commodity prices, acute drug shortages in public hospitals resulting in people dying from treatable illnesses and hunger that has affected nearly 70 percent of the country’s rural population.

The current trip by President Joyce Banda has not been without drama and controversy. Whilst visiting Scotland, the Malawi leader was photographed having an umbrella held over her head by a security aide whilst her host Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond was personally holding his umbrella, in Botswana the State President went on to beg for 150 head of cattle when Malawi has huge numbers of the animal especially in the Shire Valley.

President Banda has also borrowed K4 billion from the diamond nation when back home, the revenue collection body the MRA is reported to be collecting over that amount in a month. Before the latest episodes of embarrassment in Botswana, the Malawi leader was humiliated even more when President Ian Seretse Khama turned down President Banda for a jet ride to the United States of America.