GOVERNMENT has disclosed that about 5.8 million people in Zambia are struggling to survive due to the drought that affected livelihoods, infrastructure and the environment.
Minister of Information and Media Cornelius Mweetwa appealed for humanitarian assistance stressing that Zambia has not been spared from the effects of the El Nino.
ZANIS reports that Mr Mweetwa was speaking at the 5th ordinary meeting of Ministers responsible for Disaster Risk Management in Zimbabwe on Wednesday.
Mr Mweetwa further indicated that government has formulated a drought response plan to provide relief to 6.6 million people over the next 14 months.
He announced that 889 United States dollars is required to fill the gap in the provision of food, shelter and health care among other needs.
“A Drought Response Plan has been developed to provide life-saving assistance to 6.6 million people over the next 14 months, but a significant funding gap of $889 million remains,” Mr Mweetwa said.
“However, with only 15% of the flash appeal for the United Nations and International Non-Governmental Organizations (INGOs) mobilized so far, the region is facing a significant resource mobilization challenge,” he said.
Mr Mweetwa also said that as the region prepares for the upcoming rainfall season, there is a growing need to strengthen disaster preparedness and response.
LT reporting is sometimes something else. Are you sure 889 dollars is the money required? But very good at moderating non moderation required posts
REDUCE CDF…………..AND FEED THE PEOPLE.
AND INFLATION IS NOW AT 16.7 …….
WHERE IS NALUMANGO WITH HER NALUMANGECONOMIC THEORY. SHE DANCED ON THE FLOOR OF THE HOUSE WHEN THE INFLATION FICTITIOUSLY HIT BELOW 10.
In fact this is not a story! We have been appealing For Humanitarian Assistance since time immemorial. Ba Editor When a dog bites a man its not a story because the dog does that since 2000BC. When a man bites a dog? Yes that is a story.
It isnt! They could have given us news about one of HH’s motorcade riders dying on duty but because they are clerical journalists they rush for Mweetwa’s Release..
They have just moderated it themselves
Concentrating on other issues instead of food security
Our storage facilities are shocking and a large percentage of maize spoilt
We have had good years but as always we live for today without any thought for tomorrow
That’s what happens when you don’t have an emergency measures strategic plan. I hope important lessons have been learned to prevent reoccurrence.
Its appears we will never learn this has been happening over the last 60 years ??
Look at all the derelict Grain Silos
It seems its easier to cry for help
The specialty of donors is to keep us poor. We have neglected infrastructure and our environment and left it to donors because when we squirm they throw disposables at us. We quote Joseph in the Christian Bible without context. That there is a lesson to abide by. Even our core sectors are run by donors!
Ubupuba you beggars
Who ever advised HH to sell the maize in strategic reserve must be sent to Mukobeko
He is known to be an assute businessman
WHY DID HE LISTEN
Mukobeko? He will come out and become a President. Sikwamene anaenda HH?
I have always said reduce CDF and use this
Money to feed the people instead of looking
For help all the time.Even donors can’t help
All the time as we are not their only priority.
Cdf, cdf, cdf selectively used.
Begger mentality is sickening….stealing and looting and giving away our natural resources and then we go ask for handouts….typical African leaders…in abundance of water a fool is thirsty
Begging…yes that’s what we know best…Begging and stealing…and all the money ends up in Politicians bellies….you see how Politicians are getting fat with huge pot bellies like Kabuswe and Kangwa. ….
Every country appeals for or accepts help in the even of a disaster……….
Even the USA accepts or appeals for help when they have disastrous forest fires………
Our disaster is drought induced high cost of living………
The Zambian Government has done extremely well thus far after inheriting a rotten debt ridden economy and morally rotten society riddled with corruption and tribalism who were used to free handouts………
Ontop of that the disaster drought curtailed most development plans………..
But we persevere………
We are moving forward
The people will decide
Forwadee 2031
This is not a disaster and should not be classed as such
BAD PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT
Tikki
@google……
“….A disaster is a calamitous event that causes significant loss of life or destruction to the environment, property, or infrastructure. Disasters can be caused by natural, human-made, or technological hazards. They can happen suddenly, like an earthquake or oil spill, or over a longer period, like a pandemic or climate change….”
This drought is a disaster, no one could predict the severity ‘of as is’ this drought…….
We are here in perseverance
Forwadee 2031
These people the New Doom Govt need to go before Zambians die from preventable threats. They need to go now!!
Ninvela ulesi ko pasa comment. It is the same old ish and we will never get out of of this cycle where whoever comes into power comes in for his pocket only. Eeeeey, 5.8 million people in Zambia are struggling to survive due to the drought that affected livelihoods, infrastructure and the environment?!?.
Where is the shame? Where is your pride? Would you not rather be remembered for the good you did for your country and countrymen?
What is this now? We sit on top of some of the largest copper deposits and now we are asking for aid and handouts? Is there a govt in this country or we have been through a war like Somalia?
Its our african mentality my friend remember we still recovering from the slave trade some 200 years ago
I’m not undermining your comment but this situation is not about having copper deposits, this is about having proper workable agricultural strategic plans and policies. This country does not need to go begging for food even with below average rainfall in Lusaka. We have plenty of rains and water bodies in the Northern circuit, namely NW, Northern and Luapula. These areas can be made food secure and feed the entire population of Zambia. The problem we have is regional politics and greedy.
@Nakulu Let me just lundapo. We have so much mineral wealth we shouldnt have anyone threatened with starvation
It’s true, there are many countries which have no agriculture and no minerals and yet never ask assistance
Ebupuba bwine ubu
Buying ambulances and police land cruisers from third parties at exorbitant costs instead of from the official suppliers toyota zambia and of which are yet to be delivered 9 months down the line after delivery period even expired. Now crying for funds to feed people after misuse of funds.
I hate begging.
If you are a father and your house is going through financial difficulties, you do not go around the neighbourhood asking for hand outs. You BORROW and promise to pay back in an agreed time frame. Drought is not always going to be there. The Zambian government can borrow to lend to the people at ZERO percent interest so that they can pay back over the next 5 years when their land recovers and starts producing again.
A quarter of the nation is affected. that’s huge
He has no job description. He goes to Zimbabwe to cry for 889 dollars to feed 5.9 Million. He just wants pocket money for himself
According to Spaka stealing and being corrupt is very much ok for as long as you belong to UPND…now what kind of reasoning is that
Don’t forget the fly and the corpse story.
@Deja Vu: What happened?