Members of Parliament have told Government through the Ministry of Agriculture to start distributing maize in all Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation (Admarc) depots across the country, saying people in their constituencies are experiencing hunger and the situation is worsening.
Speaking in Parliament on Friday, Member of Parliament for Nkhatabay Central Symon Vuwa Kaunda said there is no maize in all Admarc selling points in his constituency and people are suffering a lot because of hunger.
“The issue is that there is no maize in all Admarc selling points and I am appealing for my people people of Nkhatabay Central that we need government to put maize in the Admarc markets so that people from Nkhatabay Boma and surrounding areas like Lisali, Msumba, Malemba, Kalambwe, Majiga, Thotu and Kapinga can be able to buy from the Admarc depots,” he said.
According to Kaunda, when there is no maize at Admarc depot which is at Boma, it is very difficult to have maize in areas like Chizumulu and Likoma hence the need for government to bring maize at the depot as soon as possible.
“So the request to Government is to put maize in all Admarc depots in my constituency especially at Nkhatabay Boma,” said Kaunda.
Member of Parliament for Mzuzu City Bennex Mwamlima said Mzuzu city is also affected with hunger and his people are in desperate need of maize since right now maize is being sold at a very expensive price making it very difficult for the poor people to buy.
He then appealed to the Government to distribute maize in all Admarc selling points in Mzuzu so that people can buy maize at an affordable price.
Responding to the MPs, Minister of Agriculture Sam Kawale said Government has enough maize and will soon start selling the maize in all Admarc depots.
However, Member of Parliament for Blantyre City South East who is also the Chairperson for Agricultural committee Sameer Suleman, said the Ministry of Agriculture is not serious about the issue of supplying maize in Admarc depots and this is a sign that this Government does not care about the people because right now many people have nothing to eat, even Madeya.
“The Minister is not serious about this issue. His response to the house is as if the house is full of kids or maybe he is playing down the seriousness of hunger. Let me tell you this, if you go to Nsanje today you will find people have even no madeya to eat yet the Minister tells us we have a lot of maize we are holding. Is he waiting for the people to die for him to release maize. Secondly, he comes in and tell us about pegions, about pigs, things that we don’t want to hear. Now we want to hear about maize,” said Suleman.
