Malawi President, Lazarus Chakwera, says he has invited the country’s former heads of state to a presidential caucus where they will discuss how they can work together in responding to the effects of Cyclone Freddy.
President Chakwera made the revelation on Sunday 19th March at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe when he was updating the nation about new developments in response to cyclone Freddy that has affected thousands of Malawians in the southern region.
The Malawi leader said the presidential caucus is scheduled for Thursday, 23rd March, 2023 at Sanjika palace in Blantyre where he will be meeting Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika, Dr Joyce Banda and Dr Bakili Muluzi.
He said among others, he will update the former Malawi leaders on the impact the cyclone has caused on the nation and discuss how they can work together respond to the disaster in regard to his ‘Tiyeni Tigwirane Manja’ initiative.
“When I am back in the southern region on Thursday for the early inspection of the disaster areas, I will also meet with Malawi’s former heads of state who I have personally invited to a presidential caucus at Sanjika to discuss ways we can work together in responding to the disaster in the spirit of the ongoing operation, a spirit that says Tiyeni Tigwirane Manja,” said Chakwera.
President Chakwera said he travelled back to Lilongwe to meet various international partners whom he said he will invite to support the nation in responding to the natural disaster.
He further said he will on Wednesday 22nd March go to Parliament where he will provide a report on the state of the disaster response and appeal for more support from legislators to Malawians whom they represent.
During the address, president Chakwera disclosed that as of Sunday, Cyclone Freddy death toll has risen to 476 from 447, while the number of displaced Malawians is now at 490, 098 with 918 injuries reported as 349 people are still missing.
