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AFRICA 2002: Malawi Government takes action on grain sales
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8 August 2002
Malawi's president Bakili Muluzi has sacked the Minister Responsible
for Poverty Alleviation, Leonard Mangulama, following revelations of his
involvement in the sale of strategic grain reserves ahead of a massive
food shortage.
The country's Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has recommended the prosecution
of Mangulam for abuse of office and criminal negligence relating to the
sale of the maize.
Three million people in Malawi face hunger, and the sale of the maize
has been partly blamed for the food shortage.
Mangulama allegedly procured 300 metric tonnes (mt) of maize from the
reserve and later sold it at a profit without actually paying for it.
World Vision New Zealand CEO Helen Green recently visited Malawi. She
says the maize shortage has been compounded by poor harvests this year
due to drought.
"While in Malawi we distributed seed and fertiliser for people to
plant along the riverbeds where there's residual moisture. And World Vision
is also distributing fortified maize where the need is greatest for immediate
consumption."
Malawi is currently faced with a maize shortfall of 480,000 mt.
Meanwhile, the European Commission has announced it would spend an extra
US$58 million to help alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Southern Africa,
raising its response in the region to US $143 million by September.
The amount was destined primarily for the hardest hit countries in the
region - Malawi, Zimbabwe, and Zambia. The total EC contribution to the
crisis will cover about 20 percent of the food needs estimated for the
region.
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