Activists urge prompt hunger response

Human rights activists have raised serious concerns over government’s delayed response in tackling hunger which has forced some communities to survive on maize chaff (madeya) and seasonal fruits.

The activists were reacting to The Nation story which exposed the trauma some communities are going through in search of the bran to survive.

Speaking in an interview on Thursday, Human Rights Defenders Coalition chairperson Gift Trapence expressed dismay at the government’s lack of urgency to address the crisis.

He said: “It is high time we had a government that is responsive to hunger crisis.  This is a matter of life and death and there is no way the government and Department of Disaster Management Affairs [Dodma] should behave as if all is normal.

“This is a national crisis and we need a rapid response to avert people from dying with hunger.”

In a separate interview, Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation executive director Michael Kaiyatsa said the current situation is worrisome and should be considered a national embarrassment.

The development comes at a time when government through councils has started distributing maize to some communities hit by the hunger.

The humanitarian response, through Dodma was launched in October this year following the Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Report which indicated that 4.4 million Malawians will face acute hunger during the lean period.

On Tuesday this week, The Nation counted 43 women who are spending hours at a mill at Kayigoni Trading Centre in Dedza District to collect rice bran.

Khamula said Dedza is scheduled to receive the humanitarian support from February to March.