By Kondanani Chilimunthaka
If politics are to be put aside for the national interest, Malawians will soon see the coming together of President Lazarus Chakwera and former heads of this country, Peter Mutharika, Joyce Banda, and Bakili Muluzi in a discussion of the way forward following the devastating state of the Southern Region districts left by Cyclone Freddy which hit the country a couple of days ago.
President Chakwera revealed about this during his national address on the update of the situation after he toured Mangochi district on Sunday, 19th March, 2023.
Addressing the nation from Kamuzu Palace in the capital Lilongwe on Sunday, March 19, President Chakwera said he has invited former Heads of State to have a Presidential caucus on the disaster.
“When I am back in the Southern region on Thursday for the aerial visit of disaster areas, I will also meet with Malawi’s former Heads of State whom I have personally invited to a Presidential caucus at Sanjika to discuss ways we can work together in responding to the disaster in the spirit of the ongoing operation, a spirit that says ” Tiyeni Tigwirane Manja.” Said President Chakwera.
Chakwera who earlier in the day visited victims of the cyclone in Mangochi district told the nation that from his assessment, people of Mangochi need urgent help just like other affected districts, adding that what he observed during the visit at an evacuation camp at M’baluku in Mangochi talks more about the suffering the Cyclone has caused on the livelihood of the people of Mangochi.
In his address, President Chakwera pointed out howt the disaster has affected different social groups in different ways, saying there are thousands of children, expectant women, nursing women, elderly, and thousands of people with disabilities among others whom he said have specific needs apart from the common needs of the displaced Malawians.
Meanwhile, President Chakwera is expected to provide a report in Parliament on Wednesday on the State of the Disaster response before having an aerial tour of the areas from Thursday to appreciate the damage in other areas which he did not visit as they were not reachable due to roads problem caused by the cyclone.
