By Clever Mwale:
Vice President Jane Ansah Thursday led a large-scale food distribution mission in Lilongwe and Mchinji as part of a nationwide initiative to ease the hunger crisis affecting more than four million Malawians this lean season.
The programme, which began in Traditional Authority Kalumbu before moving to M’bwatalika and Simphasi, is part of the government’s emergency response. Maize from the National Food Reserve Agency is being delivered to all affected districts.
Ansah reminded communities that they now have a development tool in the K5 billion Constituency Development Fund, which she said should be used transparently to address local challenges without waiting for the Central Government.
She said the fund gives every constituency the capacity to improve roads, revive irrigation systems, support schools and reduce development gaps that worsen hunger and poverty.
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Traditional leaders from Kalumbu, M’bwatalika and Simphasi said their communities face persistent challenges, particularly the high cost of farming inputs, shortage of agricultural expertise and lack of livestock and crop medicines.
They said that although some households planted despite erratic rainfall, many still fell into hunger because inputs were unaffordable and technical support limited, which led to low yields.
“There is also rising school absenteeism as children are increasingly skipping classes because there is no food at home or at school. We appeal for porridge support to stabilise attendance,” Kalumbu said.
In response, Ansah said development priorities must now be guided by communities using CDF and called on chiefs to protect the money from misuse.
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Members of Parliament Steve Malondera of Nyanja and Kelvin Mphande of Likuni called for an increase in beneficiaries under the relief exercise, saying hunger has hit more families than earlier projected.
They commended the government for delivering food across political divides but pressed for urgent road improvements, especially the route linking their areas to Dedza, which they said is crippling mobility and access to services.
Dodma Commissioner Wilson Moleni reported that Lilongwe has registered more than 100,000 hunger-affected families.
“Maize has reached all distribution points to allow full-scale deliveries immediately after the vice president’s symbolic launches,” he said.
Beneficiary Mary Paulo from Semwe Village, Traditional Authority Simphasi in Mchinji described the maize as a lifeline for her children.
Ansah has already visited several parts of the country where she has symbolically led the food distribution initiative, which is expected to benefit all 27 districts.
