Malawi President Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera has lamented theft and hoarding of supplies intended for survivors of Tropical Cyclone Freddy currently living in evacuation camps.
In his eighth Presidential Update on Operation Tigwirane Manja on Saturday evening, Chakwera warned that his government will deal with anyone found to be stealing or hoarding the supplies.
“In a number of places, there are reports of greedy and selfish people hoarding supplies intended for victims. In Mangochi and Zomba, two people have already been arrested for this conduct, and I commend the Malawi Police Service for not entertaining this criminal behaviour,” he said.
President Chakwera expressed disappointment that while other people are working hard to donate hard-earned money and supplies to those affected, some people could be taking advantage of the disaster to engage in criminal acts designed to exploit the situation.
He appealed to well-meaning Malawians to report such people to police so that they are held accountable.
“This is a serious situation and we all need to take it seriously. We do not have time for games,” emphasized President Chakwera.
Meanwhile, the Malawi leader has recognized the donations and assistance from from Oxfam (MK210 million in cash transfer support) targeting 15,500 affected people, with each household receiving MK50, 000 Kwacha to enable them to buy food and other relief items, with funding from Oxfam Affiliates and the START FUND.
One helicopter from Mercy Air for the delivery of supplies to hard-to-reach areas, Adopt-A-Camp Initiative by Plan International, one ton of cooking oil worth MK3.5 million Mount Meru Malawi, 2, 000 litres of diesel donated to Mulanje District Hospital by NEEF, valued at MK3, 840, 000.
Other donations are in the form of 350 tents, 80 plastic sheets, 10 water purifiers, and 350 portable jerry cans from the Government of Japan through JICA.
