Malawi’s Mchinji district administration thanks Govt for donation

Malawi’s Mchinji District Commissioner, Fred Movete, has thanked the Zambian Government for the provision of food and non-food items to that country for victims affected by Tropical Cyclone Freddy.

Mr Movete says on behalf of his country, he is happy to see that Zambia has continued providing aid to ensure citizens are cushioned with the challenges they are going through following the storm that hit the country recently.

He said Zambia had been an all-weather friend especially when his country needed help, describing Malawi’s neighbouring country as a brother’s keeper.

Mr Movete was speaking when he received an assortment of food and non-food items from Eastern Province Deputy Permanent Secretary, Beauty Phiri, at Mchinji border in Malawi today.

He observed that other well-wishers should emulate Zambia and come on board to help the people of Malawi who were grappling with the effects of Tropical Cyclone Freddy.

“On behalf of the government of Malawi, I want to thank the government of Zambia for the continued support of our people who have been affected by the storm. Indeed, Zambia is a brother’s keeper,’’ Mr Movete said.

He also disclosed that by yesterday, the number of deaths recorded after the storm rose to 476, while those that had been displaced were 390,068 and 349 were reportedly still missing.

And Eastern Province Deputy Permanent Secretary, Beauty Phiri, said Zambia and Malawi shared a common interest in that there were both in the same region where they interacted during traditional ceremonies and spoke similar languages.

Ms Phiri noted that there was no way the Zambian government could let the Malawian government struggle to look after its people who were overwhelmed with challenges following the storm.

She said the Zambian government believed that Malawi was a sister country, adding that, the people of the two countries were one.

“The reason why Zambia is coming in, is because President Hakainde Hichilema, believes that the two nations are sister countries whose people are one. We always interact especially during times of ceremonies which are happy moments. Even in bad times like now, we should be there and we cannot hold our hands when Malawi is suffering,’’ Ms Phiri said.

Six trucks from the Zambia Defense Forces, delivered assorted food and non-food items at Mchinji border in Malawi for victims of the Tropical Cyclone Freddy in that country.

The items are 200 tents, 10 cases by 20-kilogram salt and 50 by 50-kilogram bags of beans, 300 bed nets among others.

Last Friday, on behalf of the Zambian government, Eastern Province Permanent Secretary, Paul Thole, handed over 100 metric tons of white maize to Malawi for the same victims.