Chakwera attributes persistent Malawi's food crisis to poor leadership

The observation comes barely a week after President Peter Mutharika declared the state of national disaster while appealing for local and international donors support towards hunger situation rocking the Malawi due to persistent of floods and dry spells.

MCP President Chakwera was addressing the news conference in the capital Lilongwe on Tuesday April 19 upon arrival from Portugal where he was voted as the Vice President for The Christian Democratic Institute International (CDI)-Africa.

Apart from attaining such a global position even MCP has been ratified as the political party in Malawi which has track record of good governance and democracy in this multiparty era.

During the press briefing Dr. Chakwera expressed gratitude over the attainment of such a global portfolio saying the Malawi has joined a group of nations whose interests are for the poor through MCP with expectation that the country will benefit from other world class nations on good leadership skills.

The MCP leader however was quick attributing persistent hunger crisisto lack of political will toward eradication of problem despite huge investments on Farm Inputs Subsidy Program (FISP) arguing that most governing individuals have taken advantage of the program reaping public funds without putting strategic ways in addressing the challenge.

'Climate change whose impacts including dry spells floods heavy rainfalls are natural phenomenon which we can't blame God for that.

This is the situation all over the world but it's the political will which cope up with these challenges.

'Why could the entire nation be starving of food with plenty of water bodies whereas irrigation farming can be Ideal for Malawi? But what we see it's huge investments in FISP which is marred with corruptions as most governing party officials reap a lot from the initiative. The unfortunate part is that they don't take advice when we say the nation needs to graduate and put coping mechanism in addressing the food crisis.

'Therefore it's good news to here that the current leadership has succumbed to pressure of buying the irrigation idea as the way forward for this nation. Even declaring this time around a state of natural disaster has come too late while those who could support starving families are far much to reach as were waiting this call long time ago' observes Chakwera who was franked by Peter Dimba Mkaka Maxwell Thyolera and Chankhwatha MCP's Deputy Treasure General Deputy Secretary General Director of Elections and Youth Director respectively.

On poor tobacco sales Mkaka wondered why the green gold's buyers were offering low prices with high rejection rates while the same buyers were buying the crop with good prices in neighboring Zambia Zimbabwe and Mozambique attributing the same to poor leadership where investors dictate for this nation instead of the authority that be.

Mkaka however expressed sadness over police act when MCP supporters were barred from welcoming Chakwera on arrival from CDI-Africa conference saying the party was still investigating the matter to find the reason as to why the police could behave in such unprofessional conduct.

Thyolera however wondered why Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) was not clear on conducting of the by-elections for Mchinji West Constituency following the death of MCP Lawmaker Billy Kanjira Banda saying the law was clear that within 90 days upon the seat fall vacant a by-election must run to fill the gap.

He said the party was ready to participate in the elections following successful MCP primary elections held over the weekend where a retired secondary school head teacher Jephter Mwale beat the party's big guns and former legislators including Theresa Mwale and Henry Fwataki which means Mwale will stand on MCP ticket.