By Vincent Gunde
Political activist Bon Kalindo, has called on the new government to revisit the Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee (MVAC) food assessment Report claiming that districts in the Eastern Region of Malawi have been forgotten.
Kalindo said the MVAC has forgotten districts such as Mangochi, Balaka, Machinga and part of Zomba where some other people resorted to eat wild bushes (chitedze) as food for their survivals saying with that situation, one cannot understand why they have been forgotten.
He has praised President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika for declaring a state of disaster to 11 most affected districts across the southern and central regions saying this gesture should be extended to the eastern region districts as well
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Speaking through an audio clip, Kalindo said the President cannot be blamed for forgetting eastern region districts as disaster risks but there are people in the government who in their own wisdom forgotten that chitedze found their way in as food to the people of Machinga.
Kalindo has expressed his deep concern over some chiefs in the country who take advantage of government’s declaration of a state of disaster that they register ghost beneficiaries with an aim of getting everything to themselves.
He has appealed to chiefs to change their mindset that they have for years been involved in corrupt practices in the food distribution exercise so that this time around, they should be regarded as true custodian of the land.
The activist has reminded chiefs that Malawians have suffered a lot in 5 years of President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera and his MCP government, they worked very courageously to vote out the MCP from government, and this time around, their eyes will be on corrupt chiefs.
“Whoever chief will be found in corruption over free distribution of food to the affected beneficiaries, will be exposed for the malpractice to end,” said Kalindo.
He said Malawi First saw this by itself when it went to distribute maize flour to those that were eating chitedze as food for their survival in Machinga district where it was discovered that the people who were registered were not the real and deserved beneficiaries.
The activist has congratulated those who have been appointed by President Professor Mutharika to serve as top bosses in the Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA), Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) and National Economic Empowerment Fund (NEEF).
He said their appointments have come at a good time when these public institutions are in a mess saying corruption is deep-rooted advising them to serve the institution with distinction so that the appointing authority should not be put to shame.
