Malawi starvation getting worse: 2 children die after eating poisonous cassava
Two children have died in Dedza after eating poisonous cassava as their parents were away searching for food, the first known recorded deaths connected directly to hunger in Malawi.
Mtakataka police station officer in charge Goodwin Sambo confirmed the two deaths at Mua, saying another child is battling for his life at Mua mission hospital.
“Their parents were away in search of food when they three children were very hungry and ate the poisonous cassava,” he said.
Sambo said the cassava is not supposed to be eaten raw but due to hunger, the three children hastily ate it.
He identified the dead children are Adidi Tembo and Pemphero from Nkumbi village in the area of chief Kachindamoto in the district.
The two deaths occurred exact time minister of Agriculture Allan chiyembekeza was assuring Malawians at a news conference in Lilongwe that the country has enough food.
Chiyembeka said the government has just bought 50000 metric tonnes of maize from private traders and Auction Holdings Commodity Exchange.
“The only challenge we had was logistics because we had three parallel programmes running the same time requiring the same vehiclles,” said Chiyembekeza.
His comments sharply contradict that of Finance minister Goodall Gondwe who just a week ago said the government is struggling to raise K3.5 billion to buy extra maize for the country.
The Catholic church through its social agencies has said the government should come out in the open and declare there is no maize.
The church’s director of social development, Casten Mlume said the government should just say the truth than start politicking on the matter.
“The maize is not there. People are struggling at Admarc depots to get maize, they are staying for seven days or over day and night. There is simply no maize in this country,” said Mlume who oversees Catholic Development Commission (Cadecom), CCJP, Catholic Education Commission, Catholic Health Commission.
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This is not a platform for making comments on Gay Issues. If you are the ones come out of the cacoon so that we can slaughter you. Gay gay where gay? Zoputsa basi. without abambo ndi amayi anu kugonana bwenzu mulipo inu? Chamba basi.
Spot on Shakira # 17. These so-called Malawi Christians do not even know that God is all-loving and they claim to be Christians. Jesus was a friend of a prostitute whom people wanted to stone, he was a friend of prisoners, was a friend of the weak but Malawi Christians say ‘kill them!’ in the name of religion. God can not bless such a country of hypocrites, ufiti uli thoo! Homophobia in the 21st century. And you look at somebody who can access internet it means kusukulu anapitako koma kuganiza mwa primitive what about a villager. A nation of fools.… Read more »
APM please watch out Chuka, he is a PP boy, he is casuing economic chaos by devaluing the kwacha so DPP can get unpopular and PP wins the next election. You need to get this Chuka guy out then only economy and kwacha will stabilise, Chuka ndi yamat wa PP
lets fight donors have to be back or die.they may claim maize is available but but but it is expensive. just come out on 577 and liberate malawians
Three parallel programmes at once that needs the same vehicles. which one do you think is more important than distributing maize to the needy. NOSENCE. bwanji mumalankhula ngati simunavale. udzandilankhulisa pa mbali mwana wa bakha iwe
Can you guys help me on this: Here is a country were religion RULES, churches plenty with bible based homophobia! why do you suffer then? Why would a loving GOD, you guys are following to the last detail abandon you? In europe, there is more food in dust bins than maize in your lilongwe silos, yet we DON’T CARE ABOUT JESUS, We tolerate gays, wouldnt this suggest that GOD IS ALL LOVING AND LOVES GAYS AS WELL?
Ha! ha! ha!. Only fools can say that. Don’t waste time relating the two evils. And say nothing about the love of God because you seem not understand it.
Just as a hint for you, human beings are equal before God and He does not respect a person, you better do change your perception before its too late.
Where did you hear that God will be doing gardening for Malawians? Don’t you think Malawians need to utilize the resources that God gave them as intellectual beings?
Bolaso Bakili anali ndi chifundo amwene koma izizi kaya.
Foolish government
Mu ufumu Wa olamulidwa ndi yesu njala sidzakhaposo
Thid has been caused by poor economic situatiuon. If kwacha was strong malawi could afford to bring in more mazie but because of devaluation malawi cannot afford to buy enough Maize. this is due to our Finance minsiter Goodall gogo mugabe