Food crisis hits Malawi prisons

Findings by the Malawi Human Rights Commission have revealed that some the country’s prisons are facing a food crisis.

Zomba, Chichiri and Maula Prisons have completely run out of maize stock and cannot prepare meals for the inmates as required by law.

Due to this, the reformatories have resorted to feeding inmates beans.

In a statement, MHRC chairperson Scader Louis indicates that they were moved to conduct investigations following media reports that there is a serious hunger crisis in the prisons.

In its fact-checking mission, the MHRC later found that the situation was much worse than what had been reported in the media.

Louis explains that, Maula Prison which requires about 45 bags of maize a day ran out of the staple crop on October 18.

On the day in mention the facility had only two bags of maize which was used to feed 145 sick and elderly prisoners.

While Zomba Prison ran out of stock on October 15, it requires 30 bags of maize on a daily basis.

A similar situation was also observed at Chichiri Prison.

The MHRC has therefore concluded that low funding and an increase in maize prices have largely contributed to the dire situation.

Furthermore Louis explains that the suppliers that where initially contracted to supply maize at the prisons are now refusing to deliver on earlier agreed on fees as the price for the commodity has since more than doubled on the local market.

On the other hand, there is fear that if prison officials buy maize at revised prices, they would not only exhaust their annual funding allocation but also contravene Public Procurement Procedures.

The Commission therefore calls upon the Chief Commissioner of Prisons, the Minister of Homeland Security and Minister of Finance to find a quick solution to avert this impending national humanitarian crisis.