By Sarah Gwetsani
An elderly woman of Chambu village in Lilongwe City Central constituency Mai Rosemary Kaitano, has complained bitterly that hunger-stricken people are not benefiting from the relief maize government is distributing in urban centres.
Kaitano said corruption, favoritism and nepotism have formed part of the successes of relief maize registration of names and distribution in urban centres claiming that those who have no names in the Block leader’s books, are not part and parcel of the beneficiaries.
She said most of the people that are benefiting from relief maize are people who have everything in their houses (well to do people) because their names have made their way to the Block leader’s mind as good people for their areas.
Mai Kaitano has claimed that AIP fertilizer was distributed to the people of Gulliver, Shire, Ng’oma, Dubai, Senti, Chimoka, Areas 50, 51, 18A and B because the incumbent Member of Parliament Alfred Jiya enjoys support of the people in the newly demarcated Lilongwe City Nankhaka constituency.
She said the very same people who have benefited from AIP fertilizer are benefiting from relief maize which government is distributing leaving out many poor households who are starving with hunger a development which is worrisome that these people cannot talk something good for President Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera.
The woman said in Area 50, landlords were identified as beneficiaries of relief maize leaving out tenants as not important saying this is contrary with what President Chakwera has been saying that he wants relief maize to be distributed to all hunger-stricken people.
She claimed that not even one Block leader in urban centres invited his subjects to a one meeting of identifying beneficiaries of AIP and relief maize, they just sit down to pick-out names of their choice in secret and on the day of receiving bags of maize, messages are sent to the beneficiaries in secret, too.
“I would have loved if President Chakwera intervene to either stop relief maize distribution in urban centres or sending his aides to establish what is on the ground in as far as relief maize distribution is concerned in urban centres,” said Kaitano.
She said many hungry-stricken people that are not benefiting from relief maize distribution are showering insults and castigations to President Chakwera for the sins committed by Block leaders through registering names of beneficiaries in secret.
