Rebuilding Malawi Everyone’s Duty - Chakwera
President Lazarus Chakwera has called on all Malawians to join hands and walk together through the recovery path to rebuild the country following the devastating effects of Tropical Cyclone Freddy induced disasters.
In a special address to parliament on Wednesday, Chakwera said rebuilding Malawi is everyone’s duty.
Said Chakwera, “If we are going to emerge from this dark hour and see the joy of a new dawn in the future, we must roll up our sleeves and get to work.
“We cannot allow anyone in our midst to bury their heads in the sand and pretend that what we are facing is an average or temporary challenge.”
The president also emphasized the need to take necessary steps to safeguard a brighter tomorrow for future generations. He asked the law makers to support the long-awaited Disaster Management Bill to be tabled in the house.
“I also ask you for support of the new legislation my administration will be bringing to this House to regulate the management of disasters better going forward and to regulate the relocation of people from disaster prone areas and give them more resilience in the face of future disasters.”
Lamenting the devastation caused by the disasters, the Malawi leader described Cyclone Freddy as a “monster” and “angel of death.”
He reported that over 500 people have died, hundreds missing and thousands are in camps after their homes were destroyed.
While commending private individuals and organizations, both local and international, for their assistance, Chakwera said more aid is still required to reach out to all victims.
He told the house that he has directed all ministries to conduct full assessments of damage in their sectors and that a consolidated report will be presented to Parliament for the house to come up with an informed decision on the rebuilding process.
Tropical Cyclone Freddy swept over Malawi dropping the amount of rainfall enough for 6 months in six days which induced floods and mudslides in 14 districts in the Southern region.
Last modified on Thursday, 23/03/2023