It has been a challenging Christmas for Malawi, says Fr. Gamba

In Malawi, Agenzia Fides reports that Malawians celebrated a a somber Christmas. This is according to information that Fr. Piergiorgio Gamba, a Monfort missionary gave to Agenzia Fides.

"What I want to say must not be seen as criticism of Malawi or because I want to judge or even seem negative, but simply reflect on the  challenges for us to start again" stresses Fr. Gamba.

Coming shortly after the death of eight policemen who died in a terrible motor accident, this year’s Christmas had challenges for Malawians as a nation. The security situation in the country has taken a dive for the worst. Recently, a policeman was killed by armed robbers at First Merchant bank. The criminals got away with 90 000 Malawian Kwacha. Amidst the growing insecurity in the country, an official from the Embassy of the Republic of China warned that Chinese investors would relocate to neighbouring countries due to insecurity in the country. Wang Jiaxin Hudson, the Embassy’s Economic and Commercial Counsellor said this.

Fr. Gamba further says "The delayed rains in Malawi are worrying farmers especially peasant farmers who make-up 80% of the population. Similarly, the Government programme for the distribution of fertilizers has not yet materialised. Without fertilizers, there will be no harvest to feed the population.” Fr. Gamba warned.

Among other woes Fr. Gamba spoke about include the industrial action by the judiciary and the continued lack of donor support to the Malawian budget by the international community. Fr. Gamba reports that the Reserve Bank of Malawi has even launched a campaign that teaches people the good use of banknotes to avoid having to print new notes.

Ironically, Fr. Gamba added, "Malawi exports an entire forest of timber and imports toothpicks, exports cotton and imports clothes, exports millions of Kilograms of tobacco and imports cigarettes". 

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