…urges Govt to scale up efforts
The Malawi Congress Party says it is baffled with the current hunger situation despite the government making claims it is scaling up efforts to curb the situation.
The sentiments have come as part of the party’s response to the mid-year budget review statement that minister of finance Joseph Mwanamvekha presented in parliament last week.
In his presentation, Mwanamvekha centered much on the performance of the first half of the budget in line with the living standards of people in the country. It stated that the government is rather pleased with the efforts to deal with the situation.
However, reports of people living in the situation have come to light in recent weeks.
In reaction, MCP Finance Spokesperson, Cornelius Mwalwanda blamed the government for failing in its mandate to protect citizens from starvation.
‘’The situation is worsening. We responded by saying that the efforts have not been as influential as highlighted. Much attention to that must be given because people are suffering,’’ said Mwalwanda.
The MCP has since urged the government to consider following up the MK 10 Billion that parliament approved meant to purchase maize aimed at supporting food security in the country.
In its 2019 report, the Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee estimated that over one million people are at threat of hunger.
The report indicated that this registered a drop in the number of people to be affected by hunger where over one million people are at risk of going without food in the 2019/2020 consumption period over the population of fourteen million people.
According to the report, the affected population has declined from three million people during the 2018/19 consumption period at the national level.
It added that 33,810 metric tons of maize valued at close to MK7 billion are required to support the affected people.
