![Scramble for maize flour as Bushiri suspends humanitarian assistance]()
Member of Parliament for Karonga central, Frank Mwenifumbo told the House his appreciation to Prophet Shepherd Bushiri of the Enlightened Christian Gathering Church International (ECG) for his relief support to people affected by hunger in the country.
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![Scramble for maize flour as Bushiri suspends humanitarian assistance]()
Scramble for maize flour as Bushiri suspends humanitarian assistance[/caption]
Bushiri, who is based in South Africa, has been distributing maize across the country to starving villagers.
“ I want to register my thanks to Prophet Bushiri that having distributed maize across the country, from Southern Region and Central Region, he decided to come and see people in the Northern part of Malawi,” said Mwenifumbo.
Bushiri has, however, announced suspension of the charity as government operatives are frustrating his initiative and politicising the donations.
Nyasa Times understands that government blocked the ‘Major 1’ from landing in Karonga when he came recently to distribute maize. Bushiri was forced to land with his private jet in Tanzania at the Songwe border.
National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) director Nicholous Dausi was also reportedly phoning chiefs threatening them not to receive maize from Bushiri, saying he much channel his donation to government.
According to social media discussion, Dausi phoned Chief Kyungu not to attend Bushiri maize distribution exercise but the Karonga paramount chief rebuffed him.
MP Mwenifumbo reported to parliament some of the obstacles Bushiri faced.
Said Mwenifumbo: “What happened there, Mr Speaker, Sir, which I witnessed, was a very sad occurrence that a man of God, looking at the problem that we have, was stopped from distributing maize. He was stopped at Karonga Community Ground. He took the maize to Karonga District Hospital, nobody was there to receive the flour and that he left the country, without distributing.
“ It is rather unfortunate. I think government should consider allowing any meaningful people that have well intentions about this country to help. Prophet Bushiri is one of our own. Whilst he is helping elsewhere, he decided to come and help us. “
Bushiri’s spokesman Kelvin Sulungwe said there is plenty of maize that Bushiri has and wants to distribute to Malawians and can only resume his aid if there is good will from government .
He said Bushiri only spent a quarter of his planned budget towards maize donations.
Sulungwe also said Bushiri wants to help reduce unemployment to Malawian youth, citing the Prophetic Channel and the charity aid department as some of the sectors of his church that are creating employment to young people in the country.
“The current maize donation alone has created jobs to youths that are working in the areas of situation analysis, logistics and actual distribution exercise. And because of this, more young people, including artists, are becoming part of the Major 1 family to help carrying on his mission,” said Sulungwe.
About 3 million Malawians are facing food crisis due to the drought has hit many part of Southern Africa and floods that Malawi experienced last year.
Scramble for maize flour as Bushiri suspends humanitarian assistance[/caption]
Bushiri, who is based in South Africa, has been distributing maize across the country to starving villagers.
“ I want to register my thanks to Prophet Bushiri that having distributed maize across the country, from Southern Region and Central Region, he decided to come and see people in the Northern part of Malawi,” said Mwenifumbo.
Bushiri has, however, announced suspension of the charity as government operatives are frustrating his initiative and politicising the donations.
Nyasa Times understands that government blocked the ‘Major 1’ from landing in Karonga when he came recently to distribute maize. Bushiri was forced to land with his private jet in Tanzania at the Songwe border.
National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) director Nicholous Dausi was also reportedly phoning chiefs threatening them not to receive maize from Bushiri, saying he much channel his donation to government.
According to social media discussion, Dausi phoned Chief Kyungu not to attend Bushiri maize distribution exercise but the Karonga paramount chief rebuffed him.
MP Mwenifumbo reported to parliament some of the obstacles Bushiri faced.
Said Mwenifumbo: “What happened there, Mr Speaker, Sir, which I witnessed, was a very sad occurrence that a man of God, looking at the problem that we have, was stopped from distributing maize. He was stopped at Karonga Community Ground. He took the maize to Karonga District Hospital, nobody was there to receive the flour and that he left the country, without distributing.
“ It is rather unfortunate. I think government should consider allowing any meaningful people that have well intentions about this country to help. Prophet Bushiri is one of our own. Whilst he is helping elsewhere, he decided to come and help us. “
Bushiri’s spokesman Kelvin Sulungwe said there is plenty of maize that Bushiri has and wants to distribute to Malawians and can only resume his aid if there is good will from government .
He said Bushiri only spent a quarter of his planned budget towards maize donations.
Sulungwe also said Bushiri wants to help reduce unemployment to Malawian youth, citing the Prophetic Channel and the charity aid department as some of the sectors of his church that are creating employment to young people in the country.
“The current maize donation alone has created jobs to youths that are working in the areas of situation analysis, logistics and actual distribution exercise. And because of this, more young people, including artists, are becoming part of the Major 1 family to help carrying on his mission,” said Sulungwe.
About 3 million Malawians are facing food crisis due to the drought has hit many part of Southern Africa and floods that Malawi experienced last year.