UP pleads with donors

Umodzi Party (UP) president John Chisi has asked donors to open their aid taps to help Malawians suffering from hunger and economic problems.

Chisi’s appeal comes after donors withdrew budgetary support over concerns about mismanagement of public funds in October 2013 and also when 2.8 million people face starvation.

Speaking during his party’s national consultative meeting on Sunday in Blantyre, Chisi said humanity is thinking about the plight of the people.

Said Chisi: “I am pleading with the donors to have mercy. Humanity entails them to ensure that people do not starve. We have hands, we have brains, we can do the work, but we need their support because we do not have capacity.”

The UP leader acknowledged that the problems the country is facing are man-made, but said that should not be an excuse for the donors not to assist.

He bemoaned donors’ move to withdraw support for the seed component in the Farm Input Support Programme (Fisp), saying the decision would greatly impact on the three million Malawians facing hunger this year.

However, government says it will come up with a solution to ensure that the seeds remain part of the programme.