Hunger is looming, says JB

President Joyce Banda says the erratic rainfall pattern the country is experiencing vindicates her claims of hunger in the country.

She said this yesterday in Liwonde at the official opening ceremony of Shire Lodge belonging to Siku Group of Companies.

President Banda maintained that she will not relent on her effort to reach out to hunger stricken families because the way rains have been coming shows that the country is in for severe hunger next year.

“Some of us were born long time ago and we know that Malawi experiences hunger crises every 10-year interval. There was hunger in 1981-82; 1991-92; 2001-02 seasons and I expect the same to happen this year towards next year,” she said.

Her observation is, however, corroborated by Climate Change and Meteorological Services experts who are reportedly surprised by rainfall delays.

“We are aware that up to this time some areas have not experienced rains enough for cultivation, but we understand it is because of some pressure systems that are not supporting each other to give the country enough rains,” Chief Meteorologist at the Climate Change and Meteorological Services, Nicholas Mwafulirwa, is quoted to have said.

At the function, Managing Director for Shire Lodge Abdul Rashid Suleman donated bags of maize flour and undisclosed amount of money to help the President in her food distribution exercise and the Presidential Initiative on Safe Motherhood and Maternal Health, respectively.

The K1 billion lodge has 237 guestrooms and employs many Malawians, according to the owners.