3 July 2003
HUNDREDS of villagers in Mampolomoka ward in Kalabo district are threatened with famine.
This is as a result of crop failure due to drought, which left crops withered for two farming seasons.
The looming famine was revealed in Mongu yesterday by MMD Mampolomoka ward councillor Crispin Vikele Mbwenga.
Mr Mbwenga told Zana that the villagers were now depending on neighbouring Angola for food.
He said some of the villagers have resorted to smuggling chitenje materials into the neighbouring country for exchange with maize or cassava.
According to Mr Mbwenga, most of the villagers are from areas which border with Angola and cross into the neighbouring country with contraband of chitenje materials which are reportedly selling like hot cakes.
The materials are sold in exchange with food for consumption and resale.
He stressed that people in his ward were faced with critical hunger and ultimate starvation and had appealed to Government for immediate relief food supplies to save them.
He said the situation had also been compounded by the fact that his ward did not receive any relief food from last year to date despite being one of the areas worst hit by food shortages.
Mr Mbwenga named Lisisi, Sinyanganye, Keletwa, Kanga and Namupanda as some of the most affected areas.
Others are Mulengwa, Nangandu, Nyasa and Ng'umbele.
He added that the food problems also affected Government workers at various schools and a rural health centre in his ward.--Zana
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