JB dumps PR firm Bell Pottinger

President Joyce Banda has turned her back on Bell Pottinger, the UK public relations firm that was propping her image abroad following the plunder that has seen billions of public funds looted.

Top government officials confided in Nation on Sunday that the President has moved to end the public relations deal which several quarters have criticised.

Critics said the deal implied that the President was more concerned about holding on to power and winning next year’s elections than dealing with cashgate issues decisively.

But presidential press secretary Steve Nhlane yesterday said there was no contract to cancel between Banda and Bell Pottinger despite earlier confirming that the UK firm was engaged to help ensure the President’s efforts to fight corruption are accurately presented in the international media.

“As I have always said, there was or is no contract between the State President and Bell Pottinger. Therefore, the issue of cancelling a contract does not apply,” he said.

However, Nhlane last month said Bell Pottinger was engaged to ensure Malawi government’s fight against corruption is accurately reflected abroad.

“They have been engaged to assist the President and Government of Malawi to ensure that their work in fighting corruption is accurately reflected in the international media,” he said at the time.

The UK’s Daily Telegraph newspaper last month reported that a charity foundation, Ichikowitz Family Foundation, belonging to the owner of an African defence company, Paramount Group, was bankrolling Banda’s public relations deal.

Government has also engaged Paramount Group in a defence contract for the supply of seven interceptor boats to be deployed on Lake Malawi.

But Nhlane denied the link between the arms contract and the public relations deal.