Former Presidents Dr. Bakili Muluzi and Dr. Joyce Banda have said that they are ready to serve together with His Excellency the President of the Republic of Malawi, Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera, as ambassadors of goodwill, to ensure the necessary assistance reaches the people and areas affected by Cyclone Freddy.
President Chakwera, following the his tour of some of the worst affected areas in the Southern Region called on three past presidents, in a bid to rally their support and update the former Heads of State on the extent of the crisis.
Dr Joyce Banda and Dr Bakili Muluzi, who both accepted the invitation have since pronounced that they are ready to help with resource mobilization.
Speaking to the media after the meeting, President Chakwera, described the deliberations as fruitful, further saying he had requested the presence of the two former Heads of State, as ambassadors to help with resource mobilization, as the country meets immediate needs, as well as long-term needs and added that the two counterparts had agreed to convene a meeting.
Dr. Muluzi thanked President Chakwera for inviting them and for giving them an update on the Cyclone.
“We have assured him that we will give him all the support. This is a national issue, it has hit our people, and it is our responsibility that we give all the support necessary to ensure that all the support is available for our people,” said Dr. Muluzi.
Dr. Joyce Banda shared the sentiments of President Chakwera and President Muluzi.
“I truly believe that it is the responsibility for all of us to stand with and by the President to see whatever we can do in our individual capacities to alleviate the suffering of our people.
The President has asked us to serve as good will ambassadors and we have accepted to take this task, not just in Malawi but also beyond.”
Last week President Chakwera appealed to all the people in the country to forget about politics and demonstrate a spirit of oneness.
Giving a report to Members of Parliament at the National Assembly on Wednesday, March 22, President Chakwera describe Cyclone Freddy as an angel of death and that, “Having been to most of the affected districts, I can report that the deluge from Cyclone Freddy has brought our country to its knees more than any climate change event in living memory.”
Latest figures from the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA) indicate that the death toll from the natural disaster has risen to 511 while 533 people are still missing and 1332 are nursing injuries.
Over 560,000 have been displaced and are currently being sheltered across 576 camps.