PP youth backs JB’s food handouts: ‘Not political but humanitarian’
Peoples Party (PP) deputy director of youth Steve Njobvuyalema has said the President’s food distribution exercise is not meant to gain her political mileage but it is a genuine humanitarian response to the hunger situation in Malawi.
Malawi’s President Mrs. Joyce Banda initiated the maize distribution exercise to help vulnerable communities to mitigate the effects of hunger but she has come under intense criticism from various sectors throughout the country.
“Therefore it is disheartening to hear NGOs, opposition parties and some unpatriotic Malawi blaming the President for humanitarian gesture that is targeting the elderly, orphans and vulnerable children, widows and child headed households,” Njovuyalema said in an exclusive interview with Nyasa Times on Sunday.
Almost 2 million Malawians risk starvation and would need food according to the recent Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Report.
Some former DPP politburo members confided to Nyasa Times that the hunger situation in Malawi dates back to three years ago but Ministers and top government officials were censured if they tried to raise alarm or paint a rosy picture since former President Bingu wa Mutharika always insisted that Malawi was food secure.
Njovuyalema also said President Banda had achieved many positive developments since taking the reins of power eight months ago saying it no secret that the country was in shambles then.
He cited among others things, the return of donor confidence, the reversal and amendment oppressive laws, the introduction of an Economic Recovery Plan and the devaluation of the kwacha in May 2012.
“It is strange to hear groups asking the president to stop the food distribution exercise instead of applauding her and encouraging her to continue with the good gesture,” Njobvuyalema said.
