Maravi

(NYASATIMES) Govt snub calls to declare Malawi in state of hunger

Govt snub calls to declare Malawi in state of hunger
By Praise Liomba
21 January, 2009 01:44:00

The Malawi government has said despite pressure from various sectors of the society, it will not bow down to declare the country in a state of hunger, because it claimed there was plenty of maize in all parts of the country.

Government spokesperson, Patricia Kaliati reacting to calls from the country's former Head of State, Dr. Bakili Muluzi to declare that Malawi was experiencing a critical food shortage, said the situation had not reached alarming levels as the opposition was “forcing” people to believe.

“The situation is being blown out of proportion to embarrass the government of President Ngwazi Bingu wa Mutharika. We will not bow down to the pressure from the opposition to declare that the country was going through what it said as critical food shortage,” said Kaliati .
“People have food in this country and nobody should be cheated with what the opposition is saying. Those who are dying of hunger in this country are lazy people. We have rivers with water running throughout the year. So why should someone die of hunger?” querried Kaliati.

Public Affairs Committe (PAC) said in a statement that it is not enough for government to give assurances when some people are complaining on the ground.

“Trying to save face and safeguard reputation will not solve the country's problems. There is need for concrete actions to ensure that Admarc is effectively delivering to the people to avoid a much more serious food crisis,” said the religious body.

The Minister of Information then warned people against being misled by claims from the opposition that Mutharika has failed to boost food security in the country as he claims.

Few weeks ago, Mutharika admitted that in some parts of the country people were surviving on maize husks, but he said this was not strange in the country, citing that during the administrations of Ngwazi Kamuzu Banda and Muluzi people went through the same experience.

While government was playing hide and seek games on the food situation, it was secretly distributing maize in some parts of the country where lives have already been lost.

A few weeks ago, the Department of Disaster and Preparedness committee in the Office of the President and Cabinet, admitted that in some parts of the country the food situation was not satisfactory.

Muluzi said in Lilongwe over the weekend that international organizations outside the country were ready to assist the country in improving the current situation, only if Mutharika admitted that government cannot meet the high demand for food at the moment.

Labels: BINGU WA MUTHARIKA, BITCH, HUNGER, MAIZE, MALAWI, PATRICIA KALIATI

posted by MrK @ 2:42 PM