LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-A group of young people in the climate change and environment sector on Monday, April 3, 2023 petitioned Malawi Parliament to urgently table and enact the Disaster Risk Management (DRM) bill before the end of the first meeting of the 50th session
In the petition youth people are demanding legislators to waive all standing orders to ensure the bill is passed and that unless discussion is on the bill.
Youths dared lawmakers not proceed in conducting any business without tackling the bill.
Youth groups representative Dorothy Kazombo Mwale read and presented the petition to Parliamentary Committee on Natural Resources, Chairperson Werani Chilenga at Parliament building
Mwale hinted that the bill now as it is instrumental in the prevention and management of future disasters.
Echoing on the same, National Youth Network on Climate Change (NYNCC) National Coordinator Dominic Nyasulu said its high time legislators put national interests on the agenda.
After receiving the petition Chilenga assured young people that he will personally work to ensure the bill is tabled in the house.
He however expects young people to give feedback when the bill in the committee for scrutiny before tabling.
The demands comes barely two years President Lazarus Chakwera promised the passing of the bill until March 2023 when Tropical Cyclone Freddy terrorized southern region districts.
Below is Youth, CSO’s deliver a 10 point petition on Disaster Risk Management Bill at Parliament of Malawi:
- Waive all standing order to ensure that DRM is enacted before Parliament rises
- Parliament should not proceed in conducting any business if it is not something to do with the DRM bill.
- Suspend the proceedings of the Parliament and resume only if the DRM bill is on the order paper and is the first on the agenda.
- The bill should have critical inputs from civil society and other members who were consulted.
- Members to scrutinize the bill and avoid passing a bill that will not serve the interest of Malawians. Passing a law that is not coherent with other pieces of legislation and that which does not speak to current and future eventualities is a waste of time and taxpayers’ resources.
- President should fast track operationalization of the law and disaster risk management fund.
- Freddy levy announced by the Minister and all resources be deposited into the Disaster Risk Management Fund to finance response, recovery and resilience building activities.
- The Disaster Risk Management Fund once established should be administered in more transparent manner. Parliament should not proceed in conducting any business if it is not something to do with the DRM bill.
- We call upon the parliament, relevant committees and individual members of parliament to join the non-state actor in persuading Ministry of Justice to submit the bill during this 50th sessions of Parliament.
- Depoliticize the DRM Bill
Signed by:
National Youth Network on Climate Change (NYNCC)
Malawi Human Rights Youth Network (MHRYN)
Centre for Community and Youth Development (CCYD)
Habitat for Humanity Malawi (HFHM)
Association of Environmental Journalism (AEJ)
Initiative for Climate Action and Development (ICAD)
Jesuit Centre for Ecology & Development (JCED)
Go Green Save the Environment (GGSE)
Conserve with Benefit
Movement for Environmental Action (MEA)