Joyce Banda promises to give chiefs free fertilizer

Malawi President Joyce Banda has promised to give chiefs free fertilizer and has asked them not to include themselves on the list of those to benefit from the subsidized farm input program.

President Banda disclosed this Monday during the official launch of the Chikwawa Green Belt Irrigation scheme in Salima.

The President threatened to sack all traditional leaders who will put their families on the list now that the President will personally give the chiefs free fertilizer.

“It is a curse that a chief should take his wife, children, mother and sisters to benefit from the assistance given to them while others watch as if it’s a movie, I will sack them all,” warned Banda.

“I said all traditional leaders starting from Paramount chiefs, Senior Chiefs, Traditional Authorities and sub TAs should not take the coupons because I will give them the fertilizer myself.”

The Chikwawa Green Built irrigation scheme stands to benefit people from T/A Mwanza and Nkhombedza in Salima through food security and employment generation.