Cyclone Freddy: Speaker Gotani Hara advises against abuse of aid items

Members of the Malawi Parliamentary Women’s Caucus (PWC) visited victims of Tropical Cyclone Freddy in Phalombe, which is one of Tropical Cyclone Freddy most devastated parts of the Southern Region. The worst cyclone in Malawi’s history has killed over 200 people, injuring hundreds and displacing hundreds of families.

The team comprises four members and they are led by the Speaker of National Assembly, Catherine Gotani Hara.

Others are PWC Chairperson, Roseby Gadama, who is also Zomba Thondwe constituency Member of Parliament (MP), Joyce Chitsulo, Chairperson for Parliamentary Public Appointments Committee (PAC) and MP for Mwanza West constituency, Mary Connie Livuza Mpanga, MP for Phalombe South constituency, and Eurita Mtiza, MP for Nsanje Southwest constituency.

The District Commissioner (DC) Douglas Moffat, the District Police Officer in Charge and other high profile district and regional government as well as NGO officials are also present at Phalombe Secondary School where the main events are taking place and, which is one of the biggest evacuation camps in the district.

“I have been delegated by the President (Lazarus Chakwera) to come here and assess the devastation caused by Tropical Cyclone Freddy. From here, I will be going to report to the President about the devastation that I and my colleagues from different districts and constituencies with our naked eyes. It is a huge heartbreak,” she said.

The team donated various relief items to the affected families, including blankets, beans, and flour. Gotani Hara promised the families at the evacuation camp that more items would be deployed to Phalombe to alleviate the people’s suffering.

The Speaker of Parliament advised community leaders and everyone involved in the distribution of the relief items to the needy to avoid abusing the items including stealing and selling them. She also advised them to avoid favouritism in distributing the items.

In her remarks, Gadama conveyed a message of condolence to all families that have lost dear one following Tropical Cyclone Freddy.

Phalombe was split from Mulanje District in June 1998 and is about 40km north-west of Mulanje.

It is situated below the Fort Lister Gap between the two larger parts of the Mulanje Massif.

Due to this location, it is vulnerable to flash floods, which can easily occur during the rainy season.

The most devastating one in recent history, before this year’s disaster, occurred in 1991 and it left Phalombe with a 2-3m high mud layer and killed hundreds of people.

On this spot, a monument was erected to remember the victims.