Minister of Youths and Sports, Uchi Mkandawire met with Karonga-Chitipa Heritage delegates and Members of Parliament (MPs) for Karonga over the dry spell.
This comes at the background of the visit to Karonga by the Minister of Local government, Chimwendo Banda who is also leader of the House in Parliament upon the invitation by Mkandawire to appreciate the damage.
The aim of the meeting was to find both, immediate and long term solution to dry spell that has hit Karonga district.
On the short term solution, the group suggested that they must be a free food distribution to households that are heavily affected by dry spell.
They also proposed to see more food availability in all the district’s ADMARC depots saying “there’s high demand of maize and that the maize in ADMARC depots are not enough.”
On long term interventions, the group suggested that there’s need to support for winter cropping and replanting inputs, cassava cuttings, sweet potato vines, tomato seedlings as well as fertilizer among others.
The group further suggested that to have irrigation equipment support such treadle or water pumps that must be hired by all farmers through their clubs.
They also proposed to rehabilitate all affected irrigation schemes in the district.
Speaking to this publication, Mkandawire said he believes that the outcome of the meeting will help both government and non governmental organizations as well as well wishers in dealing with the dry spell.
According to him, dry spell which is a disaster always need to hold such meetings in order to find solutions.
“Our proposals have been presented to government. And the Chakwera’s administration is doing everything to make sure that lives of the residents are well protected.”
When asked why government is delaying to respond to the dry spell, Mkandawire who is also the MP for Karonga South constituency said “government including the President is aware of the dry spell and is in process of finding solutions before going to the ground. The solutions that MPs and Karonga-Chitipa Heritage delegates have proposed will be helpful to government too.”
He then appealed to everyone to stop politicising the dry spell or thinking that government is not paying attention saying “the residents should remember that the country had another big disaster in the name of cyclone Freddy which has killed over 600 lives and affected thousands of households.”
Mkandawire further asked well wishers and non governmental organizations to join government in responding to the dry spell.
Some of the participants were MP for Karonga north, Mungasulwa Mwambande, MP for Karonga central, Leonard Mwalwanda and MP for Karonga north west, Katwafu.
Reacting to the development, renowned Mzuzu based social and political commentator, Jackson Msiska thanked Minister Mkandawire for holding such meeting.
According to Msiska, the outcome will help to speed up the process of responding to the dry spell.
As Mkandawire continues to appeal for interventions, President Lazarus Chakwera is set to visit the dry spell stricken district next week to reassure the residents of goverments commitment to stand with its people.
