LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-Malawi Parliament on Wednesday, April 12, 2023 passed Disaster Risk Management (DRM) bill with 18 amendments in order to align the law with new developments in the area of disaster preparedness, risk reduction response and recovery.
Natural Resources Parliamentary Committee Chairperson Welani Chilenga who is also Chitipa South legislator said the bill lacked Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA) allocation vote before the amendments.
Chilenga added that the bill has passed with many amendments in consultation with the Minister which is not usual.
“Usually Ministers would not allow to get amendments once the bill has been presented in Parliament. But today I would like to commend the Minister of Justice, the leader of the house and the whole assembly for agreeing to amendments which will form this bill a good bill.
“Of course we may not have done it one hundred percent, bills can come later for amendments and we hope that there are still some other gaps we might amend later but for today so far so good,” said Chilenga.
In his remarks Minister of Justice,Titus Mvalo said the amendment has improved the bill in coordination aspects
Mvalo said the bill covers number of aspects with the creation of the National committee and technical committee and local government committees.
Mvalo said the committees will be the one to handle disasters at all levels.
He said the bill will provide mandates and guidelines for the establishment of local government structures for disaster risk management cordination and implemention.
Leader of the House, Chimwendo Banda said the bill has been ready for a long time only that the past regime failed to table it.
Civil Society Network on Climate Change (CISONECC), the grouping that has been on the forefront advocating for the bill to pass was over the moon over the development.
CISONECC National Coordinator Julius Ng’oma observes that the passing of the bill is a big win for Malawians saying the bill will help the country also to manage related issues to disasters very proactively.
“We have been using a very old act which has been more biased towards response in the country. But we have seen that over the years we have not been managing disasters holistically. So this law that has been passed we feel it provides opportunities for us a country to be managing disasters in a very proactive way,” delighted Ng’oma.
The bill seeks to repeal the Disaster Preparedness and Relief Act (Cap. 33:05) and replaces it with a new Act in order to align the law with developments in the area of disaster preparedness, risk reduction and response and recovery.
