Madonna sent a Misspelled Letter to Malawi's President

AFRIK UPDATE

President Joyce Banda has accused the superstar of going back on her promises and 'insulting the people' after receiving the letter, which kindly praised the leader but was riddled with mistakes.

The 54-year-old pop star asked to meet Banda - who was elected to office in April 2012 - during her visit, but was met with hostility and accusations.

In the note, which was scrawled on monogrammed paper, Madonna congratulated her on her new position and requested an audience.
Madonna managed to make a number of errors, including misspelling 'responsability' for 'responsibility'.

Madonna, who has spent the week in the country to visit the schools she's funded through charity Raising Malawi, wrote in the rambling letter:

'I have always admired your strength and courage and have very good memories of when we met and spoke and we interviewed you for documentary as you know I am in Malawi for the week.' (sic)

'If you have any time in your busy schedule to meet that would be great if not you know I am here to be of service and continue to do what I can to support the children of Malawi!' she continued.

But instead of taking her up on her offer, President Banda has slammed the star for not living up to her word.

                                                             President Joyce Banda

She has accused the pop-singer and her charity Raising Malawi of 'insulting the people' by building 10 schools without getting government consent.

But Madonna hit back in a video for The Telegraph, saying: 'I want to say that my reasons for being here have never changed. I'm here because I care deeply about the children of Malawi. That is my main priority.'

The Material Girl landed in the African country earlier this week to visit not just the orphanage where she adopted her two children Mercy and David, but also to see the ten school blocks she has funded around the country, beginning with Nkoko Primary School in the tobacco-growing district of Kasungu.

Around 4,000 school children were said to have been learning under trees, before the pop star injected cash to help build new classrooms.

But Joyce Banda said these buildings were constructed without asking officials: 'She came unannounced to villages and made poor people dance for her.'

'No one should come here and say 'I'm building a classroom' without needs assessment. In some cases she just renovated an existing block. It is an insult to the people.'

Presidential press secretary Steve Nhlane to the Daily Telegraph, confirmed the lack of contact, but said, 'her excellency would be willing to meet with her [Madonna] if she puts in a request.'

Malawi's education minister backed up the President's comments, telling the BBC that the popstar is merely building classrooms not entire schools in the southern African country.

Eunice Kazembe said:'She has built classrooms at existing schools... really it's a difference in terminology.'

'She promised an academy and we agreed on standards but she just changed her mind on the project without consulting us.'