By Mike Nambwale

Machinga, September 20, Mana: Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA) says it is expecting that the distribution of maize in the lean season of 2024/2025 response in Machinga District will go well as planned starting this October.

DoDMA Director of Preparedness and Response, Rev. Moses Chimphepo, said the department has already mobilized 80 percent of the resources needed support.

Chimphepo said this during a council meeting in Machinga on Thursday when the department presented to the Council how it will distribute maize in the district targeting over 80,000 households for five months.

He said the department has enough maize in stock ready to distribute for the planned period.

"Ever since the President declared disaster because of El Nino, a lot of donors, including government, are coming in to help.

“We are ready for the distribution and in collaboration with the World Food Programme we have sourced enough to start. Instead of starting in November, we will start in October so that people should receive on time and have food for their survival," Chimphepo said.

He asked chiefs and all stakeholders to be vigilant of the exercise and report anything wrong to relevant authorities so that the process should go smoothly.

Chimphepo emphasized that the only those eligible should benefit.

"I believe that this year's process of identifying beneficiaries will go well. There should be love. Consider those who are suffering to be on the list of benefiting and not those who are able,” he said.

Traditional Authority (TA) Mtumbwinda said he will make sure that deserving people receive the support.

"We have been told that distribution will be for five months; it is our hope that this will happen in the said period and not as it was last time,” said TA Mtumbwinda.