Malawi govt refutes reports that man died of hunger in Mzimba

Minister of Information Jappie Mhango has swung swiftly to put down politically damaging reports that a man died of hunger in Mzimba last week.

In a statement, Mhango said the reports were untrue because when the man’s body was discovered on January, it was in severe decomposed state therefore medical personnel could not determine the cause of death.

Mhango says the body of the man believed to be aged between 30 and 40 was so decomposed that it was buried on the site where people discovered it.

The minister said the government believes the man was an asylum seeker who was dumped by his Malawian handlers and deserted by fellow asylum seekers when he was sick in fear that authorities would apprehend them as they were illegally in Malawi.

Mhango echoed President Peter Mutharika’s assertion that no Malawian would die of hunger in Malawi because there was enough maize in the country.

However the situation on the ground shows ordinary Malawians are finding it hard to live as Admarc markets, which sell maize at K5500 are perpetually closed because of lack of maize whilst vendors are selling the stapple food at K9000 beyond the reach of most Malawians facing harsh economic conditions.