Rumphi community members led by Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) leaders in the district have said they will hold demonstrations over poor management of Affordable Input Program (AIP) in the district.
According to a letter dated 6th November and signed by Northern Region HRDC vice chair person Moir Walita, the demonstrations will be held on Wednesday, 11th November 2020.
In an interview, Walita said there is a general out cry from the community particularly members of the Bumba ADC where it has been observed that many families have been left out in the 2020-2021 farming year.
“We started with engagement with the office of the District Agriculture Development Officer (DADO) and Director of Agriculture, during the two engagement meetings it was observed that they were not able to collect the data from the farming farmers because the same time they were assigned to do the exercise it was time we had elections, so that time anyone asking for a National Identity card was regarded as a suspect, but we wonder why they didn’t go back to the community after elections, so we are organising the demonstrations and the petition will be sent to President through District Commissioner’s office,” said Walita.
The march will start from Bumba CCAP ground through the district town to District Commissioner’s offices.
In related development, there is also an outcry to many farmers who already managed to buy the subsidized fertilizer especially in the southern part of Malawi that they are buying underweight bags and some are saying below 35kgs instead of 50kgs.
