JB, Muluzi appeal for support for cyclone survivors
Former presidents Joyce Banda and Bakili Muluzi have appealed to Malawians of goodwill to take part in constructing houses for Cyclone Freddy survivors.
The two former leaders, who are also Cyclone Freddy Goodwill Ambassadors, made the call on Saturday during the launch of the construction of houses for the affected people in Senior Chief Nkalo in Chiradzulu District.
Banda, who last month handed over 14 houses for Cyclone Freddy survivors in Zomba, said it was important to support the recovery initiatives to improve the welfare of the survivors.
“Let us put politics aside and collaborate with the government in constructing houses for the affected people,” said Banda.
She said alongside Muluzi, they have constructed 25 houses and solicited funding for 29 of the 59 houses earmarked for Mikolongwe in the district.
On his part, Muluzi said they will continue to engage stakeholders to secure funding for the construction of houses for the survivors.
Minister of Lands Deus Gumba said the government will provide more land for construction of the houses.
Meanwhile, National Bank of Malawi (NBM) plc has pledged to construct 10 houses to the tune of K10 million for the survivors.
NBM head of corporate markets William Chatsala said the bank has donated assorted relief items worth over K100 million to cyclone survivors.
Out of the 29 houses to be built at Mikolongwe, NBM plc will construct 10, Nyasa Group of Companies will construct five while Press Corporation plc will build three.
Construction of such houses is taking place in Mangochi, Zomba, Mulanje and Phalombe districts.
In March this year, the country experienced Cyclone Freddy which displaced 659 278 and killed 679 people in the Southern Region.