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A war of words has broken out between Madonna and authorities in Malawi after Joyce Banda, the country’s president, apparently rejected the pop star’s requests for a meeting.
Madonna’s representatives said they had repeatedly approached the president’s office by letter and through phone calls, asking for an audience during her week-long trip to the country, where she is currently visiting with her two adopted children.
Mrs Banda however, whose sister was sacked as CEO of Madonna’s
charity after accusations that she stole money, has said she has “a busy schedule” this week.
Instead she delegated the meeting to officials from the education ministry, according to a report citing government sources.
The only official response to Madonna’s visit so far has come from the Education Minister, who said the pop singer had “exaggerated” her claims to have already built ten schools in Malawi.
Madonna’s spokesman yesterday said it was a “great shame” that the president, who has assiduously courted other foreign donors since taking over power last year, was letting her sister’s “grudge” cloud her own decisions.
“We have called President Banda, we have sent letters to President Banda but we have not heard back,” Trevor Neilsen said.
“It’s pretty clear what’s going on here – the president’s sister now works in the education ministry and has an active grudge against Madonna.”
“It sends a very bad signal to the (UK) Department for International Development and the US government and other donors,” he added.
A spokesman for Mrs Banda confirmed they had received the letter but had not replied as she could not commit to a meeting.
“The president is hosting the Mozambican president on a state visit,” said Steve Nhlane. “If she is going to meet Madonna, it’s not something that will be a diary event – people will know about it later.”
He denied that the singer had been given a frosty reception by the country.
“I don’t know what Her Excellency’s position is towards Madonna. Of course Madonna is welcome in Malawi just as any person is,” he said.
Mrs Banda’s sister is Anjimile Mtila-Oponyo, a Malawian development worker picked by Madonna to be CEO of her £9.4 million Raising Malawi Academy for Girls for 400 children. She was later sacked, along with other staff, after a report accused them of expropriating funds to spend on luxury cars and golf membership.
Mrs Banda told The Daily Telegraph in a previous interview that she “had a problem” with the fact that Madonna had “changed her mind” about building schools in Malawi.
Mr Neilsen, Madonna’s philanthropy manager who is travelling with her and her Malawian children Mercy and David, said that Madonna remained “committed” to her work there.
