Pan-African Parliament pledges solidarity and support to Malawi following Cyclone Freddy

Hon. Steven Mikaya

The Pan-African Parliament (PAP) has commiserated with the Government and people of Malawi following the tropical Cyclone Freddy that hit the country on Sunday, bringing the death toll to 225 people.

This followed an address by the Member of Parliament for Blantyre City West in Malawi, Hon. Steven Mikaya on Thursday at the seat of the PAP in Midrand, South Africa.

Hon. Steven Mikaya informed the African parliamentarians of the magnitude of the havoc caused by Cyclone Freddy, which ravaged the southern part of Malawi, Madagascar and Mozambique.

"All this, Mr. President, is coming at a time when Malawi was starting to show signs of recovery from the deadly COVID-19 pandemic that also came hard on the heels of Cyclone Ana and Cyclone Gombe that left a similar trail of devastation and destruction in Malawi," said Hon. Mikaya.

He reported that about 22,000 people has been displaced and appealed for PAP’s assistance saying that “a friend in need is a friend indeed.”

Lending his voice, PAP President H. E. Hon. Senator Chief Fortune Charumbira expressed his heartfelt condolences to the people of Malawi, Mozambique and Madagascar and particularly the families who lost loved ones following the devastations from the deadly cyclone Freddy.

“Tropical Cyclone Freddy has become the longest-lived tropical cyclone on record surpassing Hurricane John’s 31 days in 1994. This devastating trail of destruction with the death toll on surpassing 200 truly underscores the imperative of climate adaptation and the urgency of establishing effective continental mitigation measures for climate change” he said.

H. E. Chief Fortune Charumbira called for urgent and long lasting climate-smart solutions across Africa. "We call on African Union to vigorously pursue the enforcement of climate justice and ensure the full representation, inclusion and protection of the lives of the Africans, who are the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change.”

“Undeniably, climate change has made cyclones more intense to significant damages to ecosystem and infrastructure. This has demonstrated to create a collateral exacerbation of the outbreak of cholera In Malawi arising from the extensive infrastructure damage and disruption of water and sanitation systems," said Chief Charumbira.

“We pledge our solidarity and support to President Lazarus Chakwera of Malawi in declaring a State of Disaster in the southern region of the country and hope this will unleash a wave of international and continental recovery mechanisms for the region.”

“May God continue to sustain and protect our continent and may he give the people of Malawi, Mozambique and Madagascar the resources and strength to rebuild and recover from these devastation.” 

“May God continue to sustain and protect our continent and may he give the people of Malawi, Mozambique and Madagascar the resources and strength to rebuild and recover from these devastation.” 

A minute silence was observed by PAP in honour of those in the pathway of Cyclone Freddy and for the memory of those who lost their lives in this disaster.

It would be recalled that Cyclone Freddy has poured heavy rains equivalent to rain for six months in six days, with strong winds collapsing bridges and water system, making roads impassable, and crippling power supply in the country. According to the World Meteorological Organization, Cyclone Freddy is the longest lasting tropical cyclone (34 days) after Hurricane Jones of 1994 (31). In this adversity, more than 20,000 people have been left homeless and displaced leading to the government declaring a State of Disaster.