Malawi president visits flood victims, warns against relief aid abuse

Malawi president visits flood victims, warns against aid abuse
President Peter Munthali has assured flood victims that government is doing everything possible to ease their pain and help their lives return to normal.
The president was speaking when he visited disaster stricken areas around Makawa in Mangochi and Ulongwe in Balaka.
He said resources were being mobilised locally and internationally to confront the challenge.
As of Friday the number of those confirmed dead reached 176 while the number of those displaced grew to 175 000
Mutharika has since warned against aid abuse and said he wants relief aid to go to intended benficiaries.
He said countries like Sweden, Botswana, South Africa and the US have contacted Malawi on what kind of assistance the country may need.
The Malawi leader has also warned corrupt government officials and aid workers not to divert the aid.
“No one should abuse the aid. Relief aid should go to intended beneficiaries,” warned Mutharika.

In Mangochi a total of1 526 families are affected, 458 families have had their homes completely destroyed. Some 3 871 families have their farmland and 666.8 hectares destroyed.
State House Press Officer Chikondi Juma told Nation Online in an interview that people in Mangochi have requested the government to give them seed so that they can replant.
Malawi will need over K5 billion (about $10m) to rehabilitate and provide relief to the victims of floods and hailstorms that have wreaked havoc in the country.