Price of Maize in Mazabuka doubled
December 27, 2008
Mazabuka Mayor, Edmund Cheelo, has called on the Office of the Vice President to immediately send relief food supplies to the district to mitigate the effects of hunger ravaging the area.
Mr. Cheelo complained to ZANIS in Mazabuka today that a 50 Kilogramme bag of maize has been increased in most villages from K 50,000 to K 100,000.
He said the high cost of maize which stems from the shortage of the commodity has now forced most families to survive on mangoes which have also become scarce due to high demand by starving villagers.
Mr. Cheelo said government should also consider sending relief food for sale in villages to enable poor families who cannot afford to meet high transport costs to town buy food locally.
However, Mazabuka District Commissioner, Tyson Hamaamba, has assured the Mayor and starving villagers in the district that government is aware of the hunger situation and is seriously considering sending relief food to the district.
Mr Hamaamba said the Office of the Vice President phoned him and assured him that a truck load of relief Maize was on the way to Mazabuka from Chipata.
He said the food aid would be distributed to the beneficiary communities immediately it arrives in Mazabuka.
Mr. Hamaamba said the dispatch of officers from the Office of the Vice President to conduct a rapid food assessment exercise is testimony enough to show government commitment in mitigating the effects of hunger in the district.
ENDS/HC/AM/ZANIS
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