Members of Parliament are proposing for a special disaster vote to address challenges the country is facing amid a spate of natural disasters. 

Speaking in Parliament on the proposal, Chitipa South lawmaker Welani Chilenga referring emergencies like disaster to financially crippling Department of Disaster Management Affairs  (DoDMA) is putting the country at a serious risk.

He said: “Most of the disaster issues are referred to DoDMA to assisting MPs and the Minister says it all, but we have got a toothless DoDMA, they don’t have funds.”

“All their funds are allocated in the unforeseen vote, so it becomes very difficult for them to implement their activities, when it comes to issues to do with the disasters.”

Chilenga added that authorities need to fast-track processes behind tabling of the Disaster Bill.

“Once the bill is passed, it means DoDMA has vote, also the Bill will iron out all these issues to do with communication.”

“As of now, for ministers to communicate properly, to disseminate important messages to the communities once disasters have happened, it becomes difficult,” he added.

Concurring with Chilenga, lawmaker for Zomba Chisi Mark Botomani whose area has also been negatively impacted by the recent floods, said there is need to work on having a special disaster vote.

“Number of people were displaced but now it got stabilised. Until now we have a new Cyclone and thousands for that matter have been displaced.”

“So immediately we need the food in the camps where they are, and we also need tents because these are people that in it’s in schools,” Botomani said.