MP Lunguzi says govt ‘in denial’ over Malawi maize crisis

Vocal opposition lawmaker Juliana Lunguzi says government needs to stop pretending that people are not dying with starvation, saying the situation of the ground is dire.

“I live on the ground people are suffering people are starving,” said Lunguzi, MP for Malawi Congress Party in Dedza East constituency.

“Very unfortunate that somebody want to deny the reality on the ground,” she added in an interview on Capital Radio.

Lunguzi said for Malawi to receive more aid on maize from China” is an admission there is shortage.”

The MCP legislature strongly believes the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is “in denial” about its “appalling” economic record.

As hunger continues to bite in the country, huge crowds are thronging Admarc depots have become order of the day.

President Peter Mutharika this week addressed the nation on the maize issue warning that the police would arrest anyone found profiteering from the maize from Admarc.

Vendors are reportedly flooding Admarc depots and re-selling the now scarce commodity at exorbitant prices.

Mutharika said: ‘‘This is outrageous and most criminal. It is moral recklessness which I am not going to tolerate, or allow to continue. I strongly warn anyone against such atrocities. This has to stop immediately.”

But activist Billy Mayaya dismissed Mutharika’s intervention, as quoted by Weekend Nation, saying what the President was doing was a misplaced blame game, and stressed that government must take decisive action to solve the problem instead of issuing rhetoric.

Said Mayaya: “We elect leaders to represent us and fulfil our aspirations. What we are seeing is a president pushing blame on vendors and institutions. The vendors and institutions can be controlled; he just has to take action.’’

Over 2.8 million Malawian are food insecure currently, according to the Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee (Mvac) but the threat of El Nino which is hitting southern Africa has heightened fears that many more will join the long list in need of food aid.