Two ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislators have told the President Peter Mutharika admnistration that people are suffering due to hunger in Phalombe with some people surviving on peas.
On Wednesday, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Kondwani Nankhumwa presided over the elevation of four chiefs at Phalombe teachers training college ground.
In his speech, Member of Parliament (MP) for Phalombe Central constituency Felton Mulli asked the minister to tell the Malawi leader to consider his people urgently with some food relief items.
“We want to tell you that people are struggling with hunger here, and some even just take nandolo (peas) and sleep at night.
“Please if there are programmes of food distribution to people please do it quickly we are in need of food here,” Mulli said while women were ululating as some people were clapping hands at him.
On Tuesday, DPP legislator for Phalombe East constituency Amos Mailosi made similar revelations at Nkhulambe primary school ground where then Group Village Headman (GVH) Phweremwe was being elevated to be Sub Traditional Authority.
Mailosi said many people in his area have got no food considering that they did not harvest enough maize due to the fall of armyworms and scarcity of moisture as a result of low rainfall.
“Most people here got nothing from their farms due to the fall of armyworms and droughts, please assist them with food,” said Mailosi.
In his response, Nankhumwa said the government is aware that some parts of the country harvested meagre yields and is doing everything possible to ensure that no one dies because of hunger.
“Our President has been saying time and again that his government shall never allow anyone to die of hunger in this country, we are aware of the food situation right now and very soon people will start receiving food,” said the Minister.
During the two events, Nankhumwa reminded Malawians especially people of Phalombe district the importance of registering so that they should be able to choose leaders of their choice in the next year’s polls.
The registration process in Phalombe is expected to commence early next month.
On Wednesday, Nankhumwa elevated three then GVHs namely; Kaledzera, Namasoko and Nyezelera who are now Sub Traditional Authorities and Kaduya from traditional authority (T/A) to the position of Senior Chief.
He also revealed that some chiefs from Phalombe North and Phalombe North East constituencies will also very soon be elevated while T/A Nkhulambe will be elevated to Senior Chief.
“Our President has been saying time and again that his government shall never allow anyone to die of hunger in this country … ”
I see that the simple criterion here is that people will not be allowed to die of hunger. Apparently, however, they can be allowed to suffer from hunger, and only as they are on the point of death will the government intervene.
Mind LEAD WITH PURPOSE ….