Floods continue dominating national Assembly deliberations; MP’s Calling Govt to Assist flood victims in their Constituencies

Floods continue dominating national Assembly deliberations; MP’s Calling Govt to Assist flood victims in their Constituencies

A lot of Members of Parliament are continuing pleading with government to assist their respective constituencies with food , and farm inputs like fertiliser and seeds for the families that were affected by floods. 

Attention for humanitarian aid for the flood victims has been given to 15 districts that were declared 'flood affected areas' particularly the worst affected areas of Nsanje and Chikwawa districts. 

But the 3rd Meeting of 45th Session of Parliament has proven that floods spared no corner of the country as call for help for flood victims continue dominating deliberations in each sitting day since last week whereby a lot of parliamentarians from districts thought to have been free from floods are also bringing to the attention of government that parts of their constituencies were hit by floods and urgent help is required. Similarly, some parliamentarians from districts declared ‘flood affected areas' are also complaining that distribution of relief items in their constituencies were either delayed or not enough and some did not receive the help.

On Monday sitting as members continued with General Debate on the Budget Review statement, Zomba Chingale Parliamentarian was one of the members who brought to the attention of government that his constituency needs urgent assistance.

He said in his constituency over 5,000 people were affected by floods during early week of January but the response from UNICEF through government was made last week on Friday.

He said government brought to his area 190 bags of maize, beans and blankets but said food distributed in his area is not enough as two families were required to share a single bag of maize.

“Although nobody died in our situation in Zomba Chingale we still experienced a lot of difficulties in having houses collapsing, crops being washed away, bridges damaged like Masaula at Wisiki and another one at Namitembo going to Zomba town…” he said “Yes we have been assisted minimally but that’s not the end of it all because there is still two months before we get the next crop out for people to feed on and until that time what will people do?” 

The parliamentarian like all other members he said delay or failure to send relief items to people in his constituency will create more problems especially hunger.

Several other members of Parliament who spoke in the day also asked government to assist people from their constituencies with food items and seed as crops in most fields were washed away.