President Lazarus Chakwera’s decision to declare a state of national disaster in 23 districts in Malawi has attracted mixed reactions from the country’s citizens.
In his State of National Address last night, President Chakwera has declared a state of disaster in 23 out of 28 districts of the country where crop yields are expected to drastically reduce due to prolonged dry spells owing to some El-Niño weather phenomenon.
“I have with immediate effect declared a state of disaster in 23 out of the country’s 28 districts using powers conferred upon me by section 37(1) of the Disaster Risk Management Act of 2023.
“This I have done to stimulate a far fetching humanitarian response programme that targets 600 000 metric tons of maize required to feed the affected households in these districts,” said Chakwera in his address.
But taking to the social media, some Malawians have expressed dissatisfaction with the continued deteriorating state of affairs in the country saying it is a clear demonstration of failure on the part of the current administration.
“We appear to be having no solution on practically all challenges that have befallen us. Just recently we have seen our local currency losing value again. I wish the authorities were to employ some drastic measures to address the current challenges”, said one Facebook user Walusungu Kilole of Rumphi.
However, in a press statement issued today, one of the country’s human rights activists, Undule Mwakasungula notes that the president’s declaration will go a long way in leveraging both domestic and international support in providing immediate relief and long term resilience for the affected communities.
On his part another, a human rights activist who is also the Executive Director for the Centre for Human Rights and Resource Centre (CHRR), Michael Kaiyatsa who had earlier called on the government to declare the state of emergency on hunger has bemoaned that the president decision has come rather too late.
President Chakwera’s declaration of state of emergency to declare a state of emergency has coincided with his return from neighbouring Zambia which has also declared a state of emergency on hunger situation in that country.
