Malawi protests over food  shortage, economic woes March 10

Some civil rights leaders in Malawi are organising to hold a protest march on March 10 to force the government release maize in Admarc depots for starving Malawians and improve the ailing economy that has skyrocketed the cost of living.

Billy Mayaya, one of the organisers of the peaceful march said it is a Republican Constitutional right for all Malawians, regardless of their standing in society to have access to food.

“We want to show the government that we are not satisfied with their explanations. People will continue dying of hunger and hunger related diseases,” he said.

Mayaya said the demonstrations which will start from Kamuzu Central Hospital roundabout to Parliament aims at compelling government to increase availability and access to maize as soon as possible.

Capital Radio on Tuesday carried a story which said malnutrition among children is on the rise and attributed this to scarcity of food as most households are unable to buy food due to its high costs triggered by the high inflation.

People`s Party vice president Kamlepo Kalua said he welcomed the peaceful protests but repeated his Masintha rally call for President Peter Mutharika to resign saying he is “clueless” on how to deal with the problems rocking the country.

He said the opposition has ready answers for the nation should they take over the leadership of the country.

Kalua said Mutharika has no plans to work with opposition political parties which he said is part of the solution to the problem.

Salima central legislator Felix Jumbe said the government should have plans for tobacco farmers whom he said have been hit hard by the economic problems because of the heavy plunge of the kwacha against the dollar.

Government spokesperson Jappie Mhango described the demonstrations as a waste of time saying government is already addressing the issue of food shortage in the country.