Friday, March 5, 2021
  • About Us
  • ImagiNATION
  • Adverts
  • Rate Card
  • Contact Us
The Nation Online
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Life & Style
    • Every Woman
      • Soul
      • Family
    • Religion
    • Feature
  • Society
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Chichewa
  • Enation
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Life & Style
    • Every Woman
      • Soul
      • Family
    • Religion
    • Feature
  • Society
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Chichewa
  • Enation
No Result
View All Result
No Result
View All Result
Home Front Page

Malawi politicising food, MHRC tells UN

by Suzgo Khunga
13/03/2014
in Front Page, National News
2 min read
0
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on WhatsAppShare on LinkedinLinkedinShare via Email
Banda presenting a bag of maize to one of the beneficiaries
Banda presenting a bag of maize to one of the beneficiaries

Taxpayer-funded Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC) has told the United Nations Human Rights Council that increasing distribution of food through political channels as practised by the governing People’s Party (PP) in the run-up to the May 20 Tripartite Elections risks creating inequality between those who deserve relief and party supporters.

MHRC, represented by two commissioners, namely the Reverend  Zacc Kawalala and Marshal Chilenga as well as its executive secretary Grace Malera, submitted a report to the Council in Geneva, Switzerland following a report on the right to food presentation from UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food, Professor Olivier De Schutter who visited Malawi in July last year.

RelatedHeadlines

Support groups drilled in Covid-19 prevention

Male involvement vital in GBV fight

Tear gas leaves 8 students hospitalised

MHRC submitted the report on the right to food to the UN Human Rights Council as part of its mandate to cooperate with agencies of the United Nations, the African Union (AU), the Commonwealth and other multilateral or regional institutions and national institutions of other countries which are competent in the area of protection and promotion of human rights.

It was with this mandate in mind that the commission told the council that government’s politicisation of food would put access beyond the reach of the most vulnerable in society.

“It raises the possibility of putting political priorities above fundamental human rights priorities with the underlying consequence that those that are not associated or perceived not to be associated with the political grouping in question are most often left out,” the commission told the Council sitting in Geneva, Switzerland in a paper made available to The Nation.

MHRC reiterated to the Council that it had raised the concerns with government that the politicisation of relief items did not guarantee equitable distribution of the commodity to all deserving vulnerable persons.

However, government has not taken kindly to the criticism from MHRC and the Consumers Association of Malawi (Cama), with President Joyce Banda and PP parliamentary candidates intensifying maize and maize flour distribution in constituencies.

PP spokesperson Ken Msonda has defended the move by the President, saying her charitable efforts were meant to rescue the 1.9 million facing food shortages from starvation.

The statement also showed that MHRC concurred with the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food on the need for a comprehensive report on the rotten maize from the Strategic Grain Reserves which was allegedly thrown away.

The commission also concurred with the Special Rapporteur’s recommendation of urgent reform of the Farm Input Subsidy Programme because it had been discovered that beneficiaries of the subsidised fertiliser suffered food shortage and required relief interventions from government.

The commission also asked government to be accountable and transparent in the management of public resources.

Previous Post

Malunga admits failure, won’t seek re-election

Next Post

Ramadhan arrives Friday for Bullets talks

Related Posts

meeting | The Nation Online
National News

Support groups drilled in Covid-19 prevention

March 5, 2021
Kachiwala | The Nation Online
National News

Male involvement vital in GBV fight

March 5, 2021
riot | The Nation Online
National News

Tear gas leaves 8 students hospitalised

March 5, 2021
Next Post
Back in town: Ramadhan

Ramadhan arrives Friday for Bullets talks

Opinions and Columns

In pursuit of development

The future of aid

March 4, 2021
Business Unpacked

Take time to know your pension’s worth

March 4, 2021
Rise and Shine

How do successful people think?

March 4, 2021
My Turn

Unmasking Covid-19 vaccine

March 3, 2021

Trending Stories

  • Under probe: The Reserve Bank building in Mzuzu

    Exclusive: RBM’s Mzuzu branch payment mess exposed

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Govt to finance 15 major projects

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Minister wants Msundwe police officers prosecuted

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Charcoal traffickers fined K800 000, vehicle forfeited

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Macra to introduce fees for phone numbers

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Values
  • Our Philosophy
  • Editorial policy
  • Advertising Policy
  • Code of Conduct
  • Plagiarism disclaimer
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use

© 2021 Nation Publications Limited. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Life & Style
    • Every Woman
      • Soul
      • Family
    • Religion
    • Feature
  • Society
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Chichewa
  • Enation

© 2020 Nation Publications Limited. All Rights Reserved.

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.