Soon, the rains will be on us. And so will the problems.
By problems, I do not mean fuel shortage, foreign exchange shortage and delays to announce names of Affordable Inputs Programme beneficiaries.
Far from it. These stopped being ‘problems’ long ago.
Malawians know real ‘problems’ other than those of fuel and forex shortage. That is why, these days, they wait patiently on never-ending petrol queues instead of being at work, contributing to the socio-economic development of this country.
Yes, Malawians know real ‘problems’. That is why those with foreign currency denominated accounts are being made to wait for weeks on end— waiting for money they own but cannot access.
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But that, too, is not a problem. Malawians know real problems. That is why those with foreign currency denominated accounts have learned to keep their peace, instead of making any sort of noise.
Why? Because their failure to access their money here, in Malawi, is not a problem. The problem is what they will create when they talk.
I can go on and on about problems that used to be problems but are no longer problems but I have to stop here and talk about a real ‘problem’.
The ‘problem’ I am referring to here is that of floods. The others are no longer problems because they are man-made.
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Floods, on the other hand, are largely naturally made, or induced, the example being the Tropical Cyclone Freddy-induced floods that wreaked havoc in Malawi after the natural phenomenon made landfall on March 11 this year.
Lives, of people and livestock, were lost. Properties, public and private, were lost. Hope was lost. Up to now, some survivors of the disaster are still being sheltered in temporary camps.
There, they are haunted by memories of the people that were— and are not. Livestock that was— and is not. Properties that were— and are not. Hope that was— and is not.
Life that was— and is death.
The bad news is, if government officials and community members are not careful, something of that nature may befall us again.
Who remembers Cyclone Idai? It is said to be one of the worst tropical cyclones in this part of Africa, which happens to be in the Southern Hemisphere. The natural phenomenon wreaked havoc in Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe, leaving more than 1,500 people dead and countless others missing.
In technical language, they say its highest wind speed was 205 kilometres per hour, with highest gusts recorded at 280 kilometres per hour.
Today, the damage caused by that category 3 hurricane is estimated at $3.3 billion (about K3.4 trillion).
But that is far from the point I am trying to make. What I am trying to say is that Idai made landfall on March 4 2019 and persisted until March 21 that year— depending on country of course.
It, then, took three years for Cyclone Anna and, two months later, Gombe to make landfall in Malawi and cause damage.
A year later, which happens to be this year [for I am talking of Ana and Gombe], Cyclone Freddy made landfall, leaving Malawi devastated.
Thing is, cyclones are becoming ever more frequent— meaning that, as we head into the 2023-24 rainy season, we should expect anything.
Already, the Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services has indicated that Malawi may have normal to below normal rainfall.
What, then, are we doing to prepare people who stay in flood-prone areas? Nothing. We are waiting for disaster and, later, say: Life that was— and is death.
